Newsletters
This section of our web site shows previous Newletters issued by BCSE. Newletters are sent out by e-mail and to be added to the distribution list please send an email to subscribe at bcseweb dot org dot uk .
The Newsletters are shown with the most recent first.
Fourth Newsletter issued 19/9/2008;
Dear friends of the BCSE,
Creationism has been much in the press in recent weeks. It seems that the issue is far from dead.
Michael Reiss of the Royal Society resigned following remarks he made about his view on tackling creationism in science classes. It is fair to say that the controversy about this is rumbling on and is likely to be prolonged by the fact that many of those criticising him and defending him alike, are not looking at everything he said in context. The creationists are of course seizing upon this as an example of a pro-creationist being expelled and censored. They are carefully picking quotes out of stories to support this claim as we speak.
Critics of the Royal Society are pointing out that Reiss called for creationism to be "tackled" and not "taught" and that this is in fact the Royal Society's policy and in fact matches the government's own teachers guidelines as well. We agree but would simply point out that his comments went well beyond this and also included claims that creationism should be seen as a "worldview" in the context of science classes rather than being simply rebutted as being scientifically false, and that a lack of scientific merit was not a reason for excluding something from science classes. It was easily misinterpreted language of this kind which probably made his resignation inevitable.
The BCSE exists because such august bodies as the Royal Society do not currently have any kind of anti-pseudo science or anti-anti science office.
Interestingly enough this week has also seen the Anglican Church launching a web site specifically addressing evolution.
Meanwhile, Muslim Old Earth creationists forge ahead in their unholy alliance with Christian Young Earthers and have created their own "missing link". Adnan Oktar is the man behind the "Harun Yayha" publishing empire which has flooded Europe with massive, lavishly produced volumes of creationist propaganda: his "Atlas of Creation". Although he's in gaol in Turkey, his lawyers have persuaded a Turkish court to ban access to the Richard Dawkins web site. Apparently Oktar is upset by people on Dawkins' forum being critical of his material and is demanding 4000 Euros in compensation for "mental anguish".
On a more sinister note we can confirm that members of the BCSE have been informed by the leaders of the two most active Creationist groups in the UK that they have learned the lesson of the "Truth In Science" public launch - that publicity generates opposition to their activities - and so they are now deliberately attempting to keep their activities in British schools out of the spotlight.
Whilst it is reassuring that the creationists feel vulnerable, it is deeply worrying that they are now taking this underhand and underground tack and making it as hard as possible for us to know when and were they are damaging the science education of our children. Needless to say the thought of informing the head-teacher or other school staff, let alone the parents of the children themselves does not cross their minds.
The BCSE actively monitors creationist activity and we are following up a couple of such incidents at the moment. We do undertake to keep things confidential for people gathering information for us so these may not make a splash in the papers but they will make a difference to the children concerned. We were informed of these events by members and by people stumbling upon our web site and wiki.
We are keen to improve our intelligence gathering resources and so now we are asking you to help us out.
Actions for you;
- Spread the word about the BCSE. Post links to our wiki, blog and forum wherever you can. Thanks go to Mark Pallen (of bacterial flagellum fame) and Stephen Law of the Royal Philosophical Society for plugging us on their blogs. We are looking out for more links from scientists, theologians and members of the public to help spread the word and help us to keep track of creationist activity more easily.
- Recruit new members.
- Keep your eyes peeled and let us know when you spot creationist meetings, flyers, adverts etc.
- Attending creationist talks and writing a report of the claims they made is an excellent way to help us keep up to date both on their plans and movements and their ever shifting set of pseudo-scientific claims. Our forum and blog will keep you posted about creationist talks we know about. But please keep your eye open for local events particularly if these are in schools. college or universities. Please note that this is not as easy as it sounds. Taking accurate and complete notes is hard work. We strongly recommend that you simply take notes and leave. Attempting to debate creationists is not recommended.
BCSE Blog
The BCSE is pleased to announce its new Blog http://bcseweb.org.uk/blog/ were we will cover various aspects of the whole creationism issue. Regular features include;
- News Round - news clippings and links from the world of science and from the political arena of creationism.
- View From The Pulpit - Shedding light on the creationist lie that they are the only True Christians and that evolution theory is an atheist conspiracy. We air views from those of all kinds of religious faith (and none) highlighting the huge holes in the creationist arguments.
- Light Relief - the lighter side of the issues.
- Creationism or Fiction? - can you spot the difference between creationist arguments and fiction? Here is the first challenge to get you started.
- Debunking Corner - pointing out the logical errors and down right fibs in the creationists scientific claims.
- Blog Focus - interesting parts of the web for you to enjoy.
Recent posts cover off the inside story behind claims of creationist interference at a Museum in Northampton and news of a controversial stain on a wall in the US in the shape of Darwin.
Best Regards,
The BCSE Committee
Third Newsletter issued 4/7/2008;
Dear friends of the BCSE,
Channel 4 News broadcast a 5 minute piece on the teaching of creationism
(to the exclusion of evolution) in some UK faith schools on Tuesday 01
July 2008.
You may watch the broadcast at
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1184614595/bctid1641204197
(or http://tinyurl.com/63wqdz)
The piece gives lie to Cristina Odone's recent inaccurate and misleading
article (http://tinyurl.com/6pcz23). Far from "faith" schools not
teaching creationism, 80% of those responding did!
The BCSE strongly condemns any and all attempts to teach creationism as
science, and urges the government and educational bodies to exercise
stronger oversight of the quality of science teaching in the nation's
schools.
Further links:
http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/press-releases/opinion-former-index/education/bha-humanists-%E2%80%9Cappalled%E2%80%9D-that-creationism-taught-in-40-uk-schools-$1230099$365873.htm
or http://tinyurl.com/5q76ac
Regards,
Mike Brass
Chairman, British Centre for Science Education
Second Newsletter issued 4/5/2008;
Dear Friends of BCSE,
RELEASE OF A TEACHING RESOURCE FROM NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
The U.S. National Academies of Science is launching a new publication on
15 May 2008, the press release of which is attached. As explained by
Matthew Surzyn, "Science, Evolution, and Creationism aims to explain the
fundamental methods of science, document the overwhelming evidence in
support of biological evolution, and evaluate the alternative
perspectives offered by advocates of various types of creationism. The
book also presents the scientific and legal reasons for not
teaching creationist ideas in schools.
"Science, Evolution, and Creationism is designed to provide a calm, yet
forceful defence of science and evolution in the face of the increasing
influence of creationist ideas - a growing phenomenon in the UK, as well
as the U.S., as you are aware.
"At 70 pages, featuring colour illustrations throughout, the book is
accessible to a wide audience, and is suitable for schools."
PDF copies may also be downloaded from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.
php?record_id=11876&page=R1
The BCSE believes that the teaching of evolution needs to be
strengthened in UK schools and actively supports any new materials which
are dedicated towards this end. If you are interested in purchasing any
copies for your teaching, please contact:
Matthew Surzyn
The Oxford Publicity Partnership Ltd
5 Victoria House
138 Watling Street East
Towcester
NN12 6BT, UK
Email: matthew.surzyn@oppuk.co.uk
Tel: +44(0)1327 357770
Fax: +44(0)1327 359572
www.oppuk.co.uk
KEN HAM TO MEET WITH NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
In an alarming development, the head of the U.S. young-earth creationist
organisation called Answers in Genesis will shortly be in Northern
Ireland. See http://community.bcseweb.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1758 for
further details and discussion.
--
Best, Mikey Brass
Chairman, British Center for Science Education
Ph.D. student, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
Website: http://www.antiquityofman.com
- !ke e: /xarra //ke
("Diverse people unite": Motto of the South African Coat of Arms, 2002)
First Newsletter issued 12/4/2008;
Creationism/Intelligent Design and Science Classes
What was once a rather esoteric staff room discussion topic has once again been brought to the fore by recent news headlines;
As a teacher, lecturer or education professional then you will want to be sure that this issue does not turn into a headache, an argument or a full grown complaint in your school, college, university or education authority. As a journalist you need a ready source of information which you can rely on and confirm easily.
What you need to know;
- What is the National Curriculum position on questions about creationism, intelligent design and religion in science classes?
- What can and should a teacher or lecturer do when asked about these topics?
- Where can I go for help and advice if a specific question or problem arises?
. . . and you need to know this quickly and simply so that you can concentrate on the day job.
Today sees the beginning of a communication campaign by the British Centre for Science Education which is designed to do all these things for you.
We aim to;
- Give you the facts quickly and simply.
- Give you the assistance and support you need e.g. common questions about these topics and suggested answers.
Everything we do is in strict accordance with the National Curriculum and Teachers Guidelines.
This email will give you a brief introduction to the BCSE, an easy to read summary of the National Curriculum position and Teachers Guidelines, details of the most recent creationist attempts to get their material into science classrooms, how to spot it, how to stop it, and some suggested links for further reading.
An Introduction to the British Centre for Science Education
Quick Facts - What is the BCSE?
- The BCSE is a single issue pro-science pressure group dedicated solely to keeping creationism and intelligent design out of the science classrooms in publicly-funded schools in the United Kingdom.
- The BCSE is a co-operative, voluntary organisation comprising of scientists, educators and members of the general public. Our members are aware of and appreciate the key issues involved in our education system. We have a public forum where everyone can explore the key issues involved.
- BCSE membership is open to all who support our aims irrespective of religious or political affiliations and consists of professional and managerial people from all walks of life.
Keep yourself up to date
The BCSE will be sending out occasional email updates providing resources and advice for teachers & lecturers, news updates and details of the latest tactics and materials being employed by Creationists. This material will be designed to ensure that you will be fully prepared for the issues that may increasingly arise in science lessons.
If you know of anyone else who would benefit from these email updates please ask them to email us at subscribe at bcseweb dot org dot uk and we will add them to our distribution list. If you do not wish to receive any further updates from us then please send a blank email to unsubscribe at bcseweb dot org dot uk .
An Invitation to join us
We currently have over 90 members from many walks of life and with a wide range of religious views. Our comprehensive web site gets more than 3,000 unique hits per month.
- If you want to know more about us click here; HomePage
- To see our comprehensive web site on the issue of creationism in the UK education system click here; Creationism
- If you wish to join or support our pro-science education movement, please click here; JoiningTheBCSE
A Brief Guide to the National Curriculum and Teachers Guidelines
These are the comments from teacher net http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=11890;
There has been much debate recently about the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in the science curriculum. The 'Truth in Science' pack, which had been sent to all secondary schools, also generated media interest.
Intelligent Design is a creationist belief that suggests that the biological complexity of human beings is evidence for presence of a God or an 'intelligent designer'. It is sometimes erroneously advanced as scientific theory but has no underpinning scientific principles or explanations supporting it and it is not accepted by the international scientific community.
Creationism and intelligent design are not part of the National Curriculum for science, but there is scope for schools to discuss creationism as part of Religious Education - a component of the basic school curriculum - in developing pupils' knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other religions. This guidance is designed to clarify the place of these concepts within the National Curriculum.
The new national curriculum guidelines can be seen here http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=spectrum&ProductId=DCSF-00783-2007.
Here are a few extracts;
The use of the word ‘theory’ can mislead those not familiar with science as a subject discipline because it is different from the everyday meaning of being little more than a ‘hunch’. In science the meaning is much less tentative and indicates that there is a substantial amount of supporting evidence, underpinned by principles and explanations accepted by the international scientific community. However, it also signals that all scientific knowledge is considered to be provisional as it can be overturned by new evidence if this is validated and accepted by the scientific community.
Creationism and intelligent design are sometimes claimed to be scientific theories. This is not the case as they have no underpinning scientific principles, or explanations, and are not accepted by the science community as a whole. Creationism and intelligent design therefore do not form part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study.
Creationism and intelligent design are not part of the science National Curriculum programmes of study and should not be taught as science. However, there is a real difference between teaching ‘x’ and teaching about ‘x’. Any questions about creationism and intelligent design which arise in science lessons, for example as a result of media coverage, could provide the opportunity to explain or explore why they are not considered to be scientific theories and, in the right context, why evolution is considered to be a scientific theory.
Addressing students’ questions about creationism or intelligent design
Science teachers can respond positively and educationally to questions and comments about creationism or intelligent design by questioning, using prompts such as ‘What makes a theory scientific?’, and by promoting knowledge and understanding of the scientific consensus around the theories of evolution and the Big Bang.
Have you seen this material?
These are the packs sent out by the creationist group "Truth in Science". The materials are designed to hide their creationist content in scientific sounding language and high production values. These packs were sent to every high school and college in the UK (Creationists are well funded) with a letter claiming that they are suitable for use in science classes in accordance with the National Curriculum - they are not.
Truth In Science, which sent out the packs, was formed after an advert in the Evangelical Times included this call to arms;
It is a concern to many when science is wrongly taught in our schools, colleges and universities. In particular, macroevolution is taught as though it were a proven and unchallengeable fact. For our children and grandchildren, God is thus robbed of His glory. Young people are encouraged into a way of thinking that leads to atheism, hedonism, despair and moral bankruptcy. Belief in a Creator is often ridiculed and anyone advocating such a view is portrayed as either foolish or naïve.
and
TIS seeks to encourage scientists to present the truth fairly and to expose as charlatans those who deliberately mislead. Our aim is to compliment the work of existing Creation groups by targeting education in particular.
These quotes contradict their claim on their web site to be a "an organisation promoting good science education in the UK".
For more details on "Truth in Science" click here http://bcseweb.org.uk/index.php/Main/TruthInScience.
These materials are not suitable for use in science classes according to the national curriculum and teachers guidelines.
If you have questions or concerns about a situation at your school please contact us in confidence at creationwatch at bcseweb dot org dot uk
This communication is sent out by the British Centre for Science Education,
Michael Brass (chairman) mike at bcseweb dot org dot uk
Roger Stanyard (spokesperson) roger at bcseweb dot org dot (uk tel:07724 938890)
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If you know of anyone else who would benefit from these email updates please ask them to email us at subscribe at bcseweb dot org dot uk and we will add them to our distribution list. If you do not wish to receive any further updates from us then please send a blank email to unsubscribe at bcseweb dot org dot uk .
