England Adds Creationist Theories in New Biology Course

|TOP|England will require students to discuss creationist theories as part of a new GCSE biology course to be introduced in September. The study of creationist theories comes amid the promotion of faith schools and anxieties about the teaching of creationist views in Emmanuel school, Gateshead, an academy sponsored by the Christian millionaire Sir Peter Vardy.

The decision led to heated debates in the US, where a judge in Pennsylvania ruled that intelligent design should not be taught in schools because it was a ‘religious idea with no scientific basis.’ The move has also alarmed scientists who fear it could open the door for the promotion of creationist ideas like "intelligent design" and give them scientific respectability at a time when they are being promoted by fundamentalist Christians and Muslims.

The teaching of creationist views is not required to be taught alongside Darwin's theory of evolution, according to the new biology syllabus in England, but it opens the way for classroom discussions in science lessons and pupils will be assessed on work they do on this topic.

The schools standards minister, Jacqui Smith, said in a parliamentary answer that pupils were encouraged to explore different views, theories and beliefs in many different subjects, including science.

|AD|"Creationism is one of many differing beliefs which pupils might discuss and consider, perhaps when they learn about another aspect of science: 'ways in which scientific work may be affected by the contexts in which it takes place... and how these contexts may affect whether or not ideas are accepted'," she said.

The new OCR biology syllabus for GCSE says pupils should be able to "explain that the fossil record has been interpreted differently over time (eg creationist interpretation)".

The chairman of the Creation Science Movement, David Rosevear, told the Times Educational Supplement: "There is nothing wrong with presenting a different point of view to promote debate. It does not mean a student is going to say 'I believe in Genesis chapter one' any more than they are going to say evolution is fact."

But the science course leader at Sussex University's school of education, James Williams, said: "This is not science, it is not recognised by the scientific community and to legitimise it like this is wrong."

The Department for Education and Skills issued a statement saying: "Neither creationism nor intelligent design are taught as part of the science curriculum and are not specified in the science curriculum.

"The emphasis in the science curriculum on scientific inquiry means that pupils are encouraged to explore different views, theories and beliefs. Therefore, although creationism and intelligent design are not part of the National Curriculum and not specified in the science curriculum, it could come up in this context."

A spokeswoman added: "Creationism is taught in RE lessons and is one of the many religious views on how the world was created. Schemes of work for RE offer guidance to teachers wishing to address creationism as one of a number of possible other views."