Creationism, evolution: How science is taught in the classroom

The Texas Board of Education debated the direction of science curriculum this week, and that debate has some academic professionals skeptical about what students are learning in the classroom. The issue boils down to topics aligned with creationism and evolution. The Texas Board of education will vote on this issue again in April. The decision could impact what is printed in text books throughout the state and the nation. Socorro Independent School District Chief Education Officer Alisa Zapata-Farmer said SISD students don’t learn either th scientific theory of evolution, or about creationism “It’s more of adaptation to environment,” said Zapata-Farmer, explaining what students learn. “Where throughout time, are animals and living things have adapted as their environment has changed.” She said the district provides teachers with lesson plans that give students the opportunity to engage in critical thinking. “Student gets a well-rounded knowledge of the topic at hand to create their own viewpoints, not ‘this is what a teacher may think.'” Critical thinking is a vital life skill, however, tangible scientific evidence for evolution, such as dinosaur fossils, exists. St. Matthew Catholic School religious education teacher Amanda Estrada,said evolution and the idea that God created the universe are taught alongside one another. “I guess our approach is very much in line with what Pope Francis has taught, which is we don’t, as Catholics, have a problem with evolution,” said Estrada. “In fact, we embrace science, and we see it as a way of being able to know the world around us and the world that God created.” Estrada said students read the Book of Genesis and interpret the text in a figurative sense. “We don’t believe that the world was created in seven days,” said Estrada. “Recently Pope Francis has stated that we shouldn’t be thinking of God is a magician, who just kind of snapped his fingers.” A Pew Research Center poll found 60 percent of Americans believed that humans evolved over time, and of that , 24 percent believed that human evolution was guided by a higher power. The survey reported 33 percent, made up of primarily white evangelical Protestants, believe we existed in our present form since the dawn of time.