Early Evolution Education

ERIC LYONS, M.Min.

BULLETIN ARTICLESCREATION VS. EVOLUTIONIN THE NEWSGOVERNMENT AND GODGOVERNMENT AND GODSECULAR HUMANISM

Just how serious should parents be about teaching their children the evidences for creation and against evolution? How early should parents begin teaching their children that they did not evolve from ape-like creatures? How intense should the instruction be regarding laws of science that contradict evolutionary theory (e.g., the law of biogenesis)? Should parents with young children in public schools be all that concerned about the godless theory of naturalistic evolution? And what about families living in the South, where a general perception among some is that “our schools aren’t really affected that much by evolutionary theory”? Is evolution really that big of a problem for young, school-age children?

At the commencement of the 2008-2009 school year, a first-grade teacher in Mississippi received a handout, titled “2010 Mississippi Science Framework,” in her teacher’s packet. The stated purpose of the handout “is to provide a basis for curriculum development for K-12 teachers.” What is the framework wherein K-12 teachers in Mississippi are supposed to work as they teach children science? Since “[t]he National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) strongly supports the position that evolution is a major unifying concept in science and should be included in the K-12 science education…,” teachers and administrators in the state of Mississippi have been instructed in the following manner:

1. “[E]mphasize evolution in a manner commensurate with its importance as a unifying concept in science and its overall explanatory power.”
2. Do “not advocate any religious interpretations of nature…” (emp. added).
3. Do “not mandate policies requiring the teaching of ‘creation science’ or related concepts, such as so-called ‘intelligent design…,’ and ‘arguments against evolution’” (emp. added).
4. “[S]upport teachers against pressure to promote nonscientific views or to diminish or eliminate the study of evolution.”
5. “[P]rovide support to teachers as they…emphasize evolution” (“2010 Mississippi…,” 2008).
6. Etc.

The department of education in one of America’s more conservative states, Mississippi, has instructed its school teachers and administrators to “emphasize evolution” and among other things “not mandate policies requiring the teaching of…‘arguments against evolution’” (“2010 Mississippi…,” 2008, emp. added). Notice carefully that the emphasis on evolutionary theory and the rejection of challenging ideas does not begin in high school or in middle school, but in kindergarten: “…the position that evolution is a major unifying concept in science should be included in the K-12 science education” (emp. added).

In the mid-1990s, evolutionist Daniel Dennett wrote a book titled Darwin’s Dangerous Idea. One of the most disturbing comments in Dennett’s book concerned parents who teach their children (among other things) “that ‘Man’ is not a product of evolution” (1995, p. 519, emp. added). Dennett wrote: “[T]hose of us who have freedom of speech will feel free to describe your teachings as the spreading of falsehoods, and will attempt to demonstrate this to your children at our earliest opportunity” (p. 519). Notice the jab at religious parents—accusing them of lying and not “freely” telling the truth about man’s origins. More pressing, observe how he then proceeded to testify that evolutionists like himself will endeavor to convince the children of theists at the “earliest opportunity” that evolution is not fiction, but a fact.

The fact is, children all over this country, many of them from Christian homes, are taught a false, corrupt doctrine of naturalistic origins from the time they enter kindergarten at the age of five. We at Apologetics Press believe there is a great need for more children’s material that specifically counters the threat of evolution and emphatically teaches the fact that God created the world and everything in it. To that end, and with the help of Almighty God and our gracious supporters, we are continuing to produce materials on creation and evolution for young children, including our Creation Cards (for toddlers), Digger Doug’s Underground DVDs (for toddler-elementary school children), Learn-to-Read books (5-6 year olds), Early Readers (6-7 year olds), and soon-to-be-released Advanced Readers (for 8-9 year olds).

If you are interested in any of these materials, please visit our WebStore to read more about them. It is our hope that we can help you as you help your children learn, at an early stage in life, about their God and His amazing creative ability. Remember, it is never too early to begin teaching your children the truths of God’s Word and His world.

REFERENCES

“2010 Mississippi Framework” (2008), Mississippi Department of Education, July 25, [On-line], URL: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ACAD/ID/Curriculum/Science/ 2010%20draft%20for%20webpage%20May%201%2008.doc.

Dennett, Daniel (1995), Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (New York: Simon and Schuster).