paleonet Creationism to be taught in UK schools

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Dear All
Apologies for ressurecting this subject again, it just won't go away!

An education board in the UK (the OCR board) has approved the teaching of creationism in GCSE (age 14-16) biology classes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4793198.stm

If this gets through, it opens a door that we do not want opened; it will be much harder to remove creationism from the curriculum later than it would be to stop it now. I think only mass protest by the scientific community, and right now, will stop this. May I suggest that as many people as possible (and anyone in the UK in particular) contact the board concerned, and also the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (who regulate and oversee the curriculum etc) and the Department of Education, to protest against this? Also, pass this on to anyone else in the biological sciences field who would also protest against this decision. 

The QCA can be contacted at curriculum@qca.org.uk ot via their website at http://www.qca.org.uk/contact.html

The OCR exam board can be contacted via their website http://www.gcse-science.com/contacts.php

The Department of Education can be contacted at info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
It is also possible to email the Dept. of Education ministers at dfes.ministers@dfes.gsi.gov.uk, and the Secretary of State for Eduaction may be written to at:

Ruth Kelly MP
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT

Let's cut this off before it's too late.

All the best,

Breandán


____________________________________________
Breandán Anraoi MacGabhann
Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences
National University of Ireland, Galway
University Road
Galway
Ireland

____________________________________________
A slimy young worm in the making
Found a gal he considered worth taking.
But she cried in despair:
“The Precambrian air
Is too stuffy—my neuron is aching!”
--Rasmussen et al. (2002) Science 298 p58-9


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