The English teach the controversy
England is teaching the origins controversy in science classrooms, BBC reports:
The subject has been included in a new syllabus for biology produced by the OCR exam board, due out in September. . . .
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which oversees the development of the national curriculum, in effect guiding exam boards, said discussions of "intelligent design" or "creationism" could take place in science classes.
The National Curriculum Online website says for science at Key Stage 4 (GCSE level): "Students should be taught how scientific controversies can arise from different ways of interpreting empirical evidence (for example Darwin’s theory of evolution)."
Classes should also cover "ways in which scientific work may be affected by the context in which it takes place (for example, social, historical, moral, spiritual), and how these contexts may affect whether or not ideas are accepted."
A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Neither creationism nor intelligent design are taught as a subject in schools and are not specified in the science curriculum".
Hat tip: Uncommon Descent
Update: Andrew Rowell has an update on the political aftermath of this at ID in the UK.
I’ll admit Britian has me confused. Are they really so much more openminded than we are? Surely over there this type of thing can’t be put down to crazy fundamentalists….
Comment by Freawaru — March 10, 2006 @ 8:50 pm