Evolution

I am appalled by what happened to this man’s daughter : she won an “Evolution and Art” contest, where she had to explain how a creature would evolve on an imagined island. At nine years old, she clearly demonstrated that she understood the concept of adaptation and species survival – wow! She was then interviewed by her principal about her accomplishment – in front of the whole school. Right before she was about to be interviewed, a teacher at her school came up to her and said, “don’t mention the word Evolution”. WHAT?

 

Why would you do that to a nine-year-old? How unfair!

 

It makes me wonder if I was ever taught about evolution. I really want to go back through my science course notes and see when (or if!!) I learned about it – I don’t remember ever learning about it, in fact. And you’d think it would be a pretty basic concept, one that would be pretty recurrent throughout elementary and high school. I think I really only came to understand the concept as an adult. But is that because it simply wasn’t taught, or because I don’t remember it? What am I forgetting? Oh, how I wish I’d kept a journal...

 

One thing for sure, I want my children to be taught about evolution. I want them to ask questions. To read: the blogger’s books: Parenting Beyond Belief and Raising Freethinkers.