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Science vs. religion is not the real issue

By Andrew Skerritt
Published February 19, 2008

The pursuit of science is not incompatible with religious faith. I can believe in God and agree with the scientific theory. Science often bolsters rather than undermines my faith.

However, judging by the tone and content of much of the debate surrounding the state's adoption of new science standards, you would think that impossible. You're either atheist or creationist. Either you're smart enough to understand Darwin or dumb enough to believe in Jesus.

That kind of dogmatism has made it more difficult for the state Board of Education as it tries to define the role of evolution in the biology curriculum.

Even if the board makes a decision today as expected, it won't end the debate. This controversy isn't about students; it's not even about Florida. This is part of an increasingly bitter national debate between religious conservatives and naturalists about the role religion and science should play in society. At the same time, it's less about science and religion and more about ideology and politics. It's also a big distraction.

People waste time arguing over semantics when they ought to be addressing the real issue of how to improve science education in our schools.

Many students complete high school "scientifically and technologically illiterate," according to a Congressional Research Service 2007 report. When it comes to science education, U.S. students often don't measure up to their foreign counterparts.

If this country is to maintain its economic leadership and compete globally, we must prepare today's K-12 students "better to be tomorrow's productive workers and citizens," according to the National Science Foundation. But that's not going to happen as long as many high and middle school math and science teachers aren't qualified to teach the subjects they're teaching.

For this state to advance, to be more than just a service economy that trains young people to make correct change behind the lunch counter, students will need sophisticated skills in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. That's going to require a major turnaround for a generation that has demonstrated a lack of curiosity about the things it doesn't know or understand. Too many young people would rather be entertained than be educated.

The evolution debate changes none of the sad realities in the classroom. It simply creates an atmosphere that discourages students from venturing beyond the certainties of faith into the discipline of hard questioning that science encourages. We've become a culture of dogmatism where ideology and preconceived notions trump facts.

Certainly, that's not what either Darwin or Jesus intended.

Andrew Skerritt can be reached at askerritt@sptimes.com or 813 909-4602 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4602.

[Last modified February 18, 2008, 20:35:46]