I was curious. How is biology taught? Is evolution completely disregarded? Is it an avoided topic of discussion? Seriously... I don't know anyone who's gone to a religious school who can explain this experience with me.

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 12:58 AM. Reason : .]

6/10/2010 12:58:42 AM

Depends on the school. Most of the catholic schools teach evolution now that the Pope has acknowledged it. A lot of the wackjob ones in bumfuck county probably teach new earth creationism.

6/10/2010 1:19:56 AM

When I lived at a southern baptist group home during middle school, it was a self-contained outpost of the local school district.

Ostensibly.

In theory, we had the different classes: english, math, social studies, etc.

English: "Current Events" from the local paper. That was it. The rest was discipline, or the bible.
Math: I don't remember too much, except the power struggle between the group home staff (note: the teachers here were group home staff, not school district employees) and my parents over the fact that in 7th grade, we were being given ~3 or 4th grad worksheets, and that I was ready for, and thus entitled to, more advanced math. It was actually this that spurred my parents to have me classified as special ed, so that I would have an IEP, which the group home simply couldn't ignore or fight.
Science: there was none
Computer class: it was typing practice
Social studies: We did cultural art projects. Like, in November, our project was to make a mosaic...out of paper punch holes. Thanksgiving themed. In February, in honor of black people, we did an art project of our choice. I managed to take several weeks sketching Lena Horne

If there was the slightest distraction, it was always discipline or religion.

I'd say at least 80% of our "group meetings" (in the program this place was ostensibly based off of, negative behavior warranted a house meeting where the fellow residents were supposed to assist the offence) and devotionals were rants at us for having spreading out legs, doing drugs, and being godless. This was a group of 11-15 year old girls. And this place considered low self-esteem to be a willful behavioral problem.

This doesn't exactly answer the question you asked, but it might help give you some insight.

Also, whenever I reference this time that I didn't live at home, most of the time, I just say I went to boarding school

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 1:38 AM. Reason : dff]

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 1:43 AM. Reason : sd]

6/10/2010 1:35:53 AM

Ambro, didn't it ever bother or raise any curiosity to the world of physics? What about doctors and the study of medicine and all of that? I guess if you never introduce a concept such as physics or biology/chemistry (pharm.), then you never know to question it...

6/10/2010 3:01:47 AM

^^ This is a part of the reason why I wouldn't want a child of mine to go to a school who's focus is religion. Not because I hate religion, even though I'm not religious myself. But because I really feel that those types of school have an agenda. That agenda being to teach you to be a "good" Christian, and to basically keep you in the dark about things that go well beyond the scope of Christianity (or any other religious school), especially when it comes to topics that may even make you question your religion (such as evolution, or the creation of the universe, ect).

6/10/2010 6:08:00 AM

I babysit two children that go to Catholic school. I've seen her science book (5th grade), so I know it's taught and I helped her study for a test on climate and the weather. I do not know if she has been taught evolution. She does have a course where she learns about religion, the saints, etc. I helped her study for her sacraments quiz.

I don't have to help the 14 yr old with his homework so I have no idea what he studies science wise.

6/10/2010 7:15:45 AM

Some religious schools only teach evolution to try to show you all the reasons it is wrong. I'd never send a kid to religious school because it really screws them if they want to go into the sciences.

6/10/2010 8:15:32 AM

i went to a christian school for 7 years.


it was no different than when i switched in 8th grade to public school. (except i had like 13 in my whole class)

my science class did in fact touch on evolution iirc.

we were not taught creationism in it's place or even at all really.



maybe it would be different if i had stayed longer....but i dont think so.











[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 8:26 AM. Reason : won't even go there ]

6/10/2010 8:19:40 AM

I asked her...she said they do not teach evolution in school, but she knows what it is...Probably from her parents or even TV--she watches a lot of Discovery and AP. she does, however, have a hard time remembering what she did 2 days ago sometimes so with summer started she may have already forgot that she DID learn about it in shool--heh. They learn about creationism during the 6th grade, but she just asked, "but where do dinosaurs and cavemen come in? Were Adam and Eve hanging out with dinosaurs?"

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 8:34 AM. Reason : Clarity]

6/10/2010 8:29:08 AM

Quote :

"Some religious schools only teach evolution to try to show you all the reasons it is wrong. I'd never send a kid to religious school because it really screws them if they want to go into the sciences."

I think it depends on where you go. I went to Catholic school growing up and, while it did have mass and religion classes, it was a challenging (as much as HS can be I mean) academic environment sold as a college prep school. The sciences and the maths were taught as well or better than my friends in public school; I would say our AP classes were about equal with public school AP classes, but our "non-advanced" (ie regular) classes were higher quality than the regular classes it seemed like.

I took geometry, algebra II, statistics, and calculus all in HS which was more than most of my friends at public schools were taking to graduate. I also took chemistry, biology, physics, and then a "physics II" (which was more of a college physics I course) to graduate where I think a lot of them just took chemistry, biology, and "earth science." We used the same text books as the public schools around us, talked about evolution, the big bang theory as well as stuff like Abiogenesis.

Now yes, I'm sure/I know there are smaller more conservative Christian schools that fit the mold you are presenting lewoods, but it certainly doesn't apply to all "religious" schools. I mean, I went into a math and science related field largely because of some of the math and science classes and teachers I had in HS and was on par if not ahead of most the people in my first semester math and science courses in college.

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 8:39 AM. Reason : ]

6/10/2010 8:35:46 AM

^This was more of my experience with Catholic HS. There was really no creationism ever taught. We did have religion classes, but it was more like religion classes like in College. I mean I can tell you alot about other religions and about the bible that other people cannot. Like we learned the five pillars of Islam, etc. We even studied if Jesus even existed and the creation of the bible and document X, etc.

Back to the Biology It was definatly college prep level. We disected fetal pigs, cats, and other animals. My bio teacher there was one of my best teachers ever. I had always gone to Public school up until HS. When I was at WFU it was a breeze to me after HS, while my friends from Broughton were failing out. My little sis went to Appalacian and thought it was the biggest joke since HS was so much harder. So I guess it really was a college prep.

Also you didn't have to be Catholic to get in (it did help though). In fact we had a long time friend that was Jewish that went there.

I hear it is super hard to get into now and has a really long waiting list.

6/10/2010 10:13:19 AM

Ambrosia.

Quote :

"Not because I hate religion, even though I'm not religious myself. But because I really feel that those types of school have an agenda."

No shit sherlock. The whole point is "get em while they're young and indoctrinable". Bible school and any school like the one Ambrosia described should be a crime. How adults are allowed to tell children that they and and everyone else who isn't good is going to burn in hell for eternity is mind-boggling. I get depressed when I hear the songs that preschoolers sing about Christ's blood washing their sins away.

But yeah, I'm sure the level of indoctrination varies from school to school. But it should be obvious that no level of indoctrination is the preferred level. Teach them facts, how to observe evidence, and how to come to conclusions. The Bible has absolutely no place in a grade school. Maybe in a high school, in proper context.

6/10/2010 10:16:15 AM

I went to a catholic school in elementary and middle school.

Religion was taught in religion classes.

Math was taught in math classes, science in science classes and so on.

I don't remember when it was first introduced, but evolution was definitely taught, but obviously we didn't get that deep into it because it was middle school. Maybe it's a Catholic thing, or maybe it's the school I went to, but I've just never heard anyone make a big deal about creationism at all. It's such a trivial thing, but i think some of the evangelical types would kill over it.

6/10/2010 10:26:30 AM

Quote :

"Teach them facts,"

Careful. Evolution is a theory, right?

6/10/2010 10:30:02 AM

Quote :

"Maybe it's a Catholic thing, or maybe it's the school I went to, but I've just never heard anyone make a big deal about creationism at all."

It's a Catholic thing. There are some factions within the Church that endorse creationism, but the Vatican has said for years that evolution and faith aren't incompatible (generally citing that creation of the soul and creation of the body are separate), and the U.S. bishops have said that evolution should be taught in Catholic schools.

6/10/2010 10:46:51 AM

^^You need to learn the definition of the word theory. Evolution is the conclusion of observable evidence (facts). So as I said, teach them the facts.

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 10:50 AM. Reason : ^^]

6/10/2010 10:50:06 AM

Quote :

"Ambro, didn't it ever bother or raise any curiosity to the world of physics? What about doctors and the study of medicine and all of that? I guess if you never introduce a concept such as physics or biology/chemistry (pharm.), then you never know to question it..."

No.

Note the part where middle-schoolers are being given elementary school work to do.

This is because most of the students operated at that level. Some of those girls were barely literate...the only way I know for sure that they weren't actually illiterate is because of all the reading aloud of the bible we had to do

I mean, I had had previous exposure to the sciences in school and such, so I knew what they were and that we were missing some subjects, but at that point, I couldn't be bothered to care. I never did become familiar with that school system's curriculum as an adult, so I can't tell you what the local girls had or had not been exposed to previously. I don't think it would have mattered, though. I can still name a few, first and last, 12 years later, that I am 100% certain were clinically retarded.

6/10/2010 10:54:11 AM

Quote :

"I went to a catholic school in elementary and middle school. Religion was taught in religion classes. Math was taught in math classes, science in science classes and so on. "

Same for me. Catholic school pre-k through senior year of high school - creationism was dealt with in Religion classes, evolution was dealt with in science classes.

6/10/2010 10:58:20 AM

Quote :

"I never did become familiar with that school system's curriculum as an adult, so I can't tell you what the local girls had or had not been exposed to previously."

As a product of that school system that your school was part of, I can tell you it was just fine. Elementary was what I would describe as a "normal" educational experience with AG programs offered for progressive students. Middle school progressing the same and HS even more so. All the HS's offers AP classes in English, history, math & science, offered co-op classes through the local community college for college transer, and a cyber campus education program with classes taught from professors and teachers all over the state with many from NCSSM.

[Edited on June 10, 2010 at 11:07 AM. Reason : ]

6/10/2010 11:01:55 AM

Quote :

"This was more of my experience with Catholic HS. There was really no creationism ever taught. We did have religion classes, but it was more like religion classes like in College. I mean I can tell you alot about other religions and about the bible that other people cannot. Like we learned the five pillars of Islam, etc. We even studied if Jesus even existed and the creation of the bible and document X, etc. Back to the Biology It was definatly college prep level. We disected fetal pigs, cats, and other animals. My bio teacher there was one of my best teachers ever. I had always gone to Public school up until HS. When I was at WFU it was a breeze to me after HS, while my friends from Broughton were failing out. My little sis went to Appalacian and thought it was the biggest joke since HS was so much harder. So I guess it really was a college prep. Also you didn't have to be Catholic to get in (it did help though). In fact we had a long time friend that was Jewish that went there. I hear it is super hard to get into now and has a really long waiting list."

pretty much ditto.

most of my classes at NCSU the first 2 years were rehashes of stuff from HS.

I, too, went to 7 years of "Catholic School"

one interesting side note, i went to a really really small middle school (immaculatta in durham), and we did have a guy come in and talk about creationism, i was the only one that pretty much argued with him about it while everyone else in class rolled over and jumped (at least for that day) on the creationist bandwagon. They also did not seem to "get" and this was EVERYONE IN THE CLASS as well as the speaker, what I was saying about how God could have kick started/guided/set up the universe in such a way that life as we know it has played out like it has and such. But NOOOO can't have any of that, the dinosaurs? just gloss over that entirely. My bit was why would God try to "trick" everyone by placing fossils and such under the earth? What's the point of that? of course I got no response other than "it's God, he can do whatever he wants" it wasn't really a answer of course. what's funny is that we were never tested on any of that (of course it would have been a huge waste of time), and I got straight A's in all the science classes.... which were otherwise taught from a purely secular viewpoint. that day was surreal.

no I'm not bitter about this part, not bitter at all!

thank god we weren't tested on any of that, same thing in HS, first day the Bio teacher that G.O.D was referring to said that "You can believe what you want, but the tests will have this, and I'm not going to waste my time or yours on material that's not going to be on my tests."
it was glorious.

6/10/2010 11:02:13 AM

^yeah she was hard as hell, but the best ever!

Yeah we just went to NCSU classes, if it wasn't offered at HS.

I guess Catholics are a little more serious about the education. I can't believe about Ambrosias experience

Also we had Franciscan brothers from NY come in and take over the school my soph. year to make it a better school. (it worked)

6/10/2010 11:15:32 AM

Quote :

"Careful. Evolution is a theory, right?"

Yeah so is gravity, but it's still holding your ass to the ground.

6/10/2010 11:22:27 AM

Quote :

"Yeah so is gravity, but it's still holding your ass to the ground."

ahahaha <3

6/10/2010 11:23:59 AM

I think you're all confusing my pretense...

6/10/2010 11:46:54 AM

Quote :

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned" -II Peter 2:1-2"

That generally sums up the teachings in most "religious" schools, from elementary through college. The only thing Christian in most of the schools that pass themselves off as such is that they have it in the name. Unless you are going to a true Biblical seminary where you are learning how to read and interpret the Scriptures, you are generally not going to find much adherence to it. They are all more concerned with being politically correct and conforming to the world view so I wouldn't expect the teaching on evolution to be any different. So if you are "worried" about having creationism forced on you then you probably have nothing to worry about.

6/10/2010 1:23:18 PM

Why in the hell did you quote mark "worried"?

6/10/2010 1:43:59 PM

Next Topic: Catholic school sex ed, go!

6/10/2010 1:48:58 PM

My Catholic school experience is pretty much identical to what everyone else mentioned here. Evolution taught was in Science class. Religion class taught _about_ Creationism, but did not hold it as a definitive teaching (at least in the later class years). Then again, it also brought up the stories of creation of other cultures.

I went to the same school as Arab13 (one year under him), though I don't really remember being treated to the Creationist holding his ground speech. Then again, my most memorable 'religious' subject taught there was the month of two we spent on Greek mythology in History class .

6/10/2010 1:59:08 PM