For the three open Alachua County School Board seats to be voted on August 24, I have had a difficult time distinguishing the candidates from each other, based on their comments about their philosophies concerning public education. Apparently though, others in my community have their own ideas as to who would best fill these posts, as I have seen an unprecedented plethora of school board campaign signs in people's yards and along the roadside. But Friday, that indecision dramatically changed for me.
In Friday's Gainesville Sun, staff writer Kimberly Moore wrote about a recent candidate forum for the school board candidates, held at a local retirement community. One of the questions was how the candidates felt about having creationism taught in public school alongside evolution. The answers startled me.
Of the candidates running in the three-district field, Bonnie Burgess, April Griffin, Felicia Moss, Wayne Gabb, and Jodi Wood all expressed a desire to see creationism taught in public school science classes as an alternative to evolution. Opposed to this were Gunnar Paulson, Carol Oyenarte, Jancie Vinson, and Rick Nesbit. And then there was a fence-straddling third group (the true politicians), composed of David Palpaut, Jennifer Deachin, and Christopher Smiley [who has submitted a comment correcting this report and stating his opposition to teaching creationism in public schools]. Their expressed view was that creationism should be taught, but in a religion or philosophy class instead of science.
I don't see those in the third group as being on my side with this issue; they are liable to side with the pro-creationism group on important votes. This leads me with four [correction: five, with Smiley's correction] possible candidates to choose from in the three districts. I'm not sure, but I think that MY district is Nesbit's. Or do I get to vote for all three districts? I guess I'll find out in the voting booth. Better that I research all three districts!
Is teaching creationism in public schools that big of a deal to me? Yes. Creationism is a branch of Christian apologetics designed to "paper" over principles of modern biological and cosmological science which appear to literally contradict that religion's scriptures and doctrine. It results in the demonization of honest and significant scientific work and of those who perform it. Making legitimate science controversial is nonsensical to me, and electing candidates who would impose their religion on the public at taxpayer expense just isn't the way to go. Anyone is free to believe whatever they want to believe. They can worship at the religious institution of their choice and give religious instruction to their own children. There are also the options of private religious schools and home-schooling for those parents who think that modern established science is somehow "of the devil". But public schools should be free of religious tampering with their science curriculum.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Gainesville resident here - you'll get to vote for all three school board districts. I agree that the article has made it much easier to winnow down the list of candidates.
ReplyDeleteHi this is candidate Chris Smiley. Several people notified me of the article that was published. I was upset that the reporter jumbled my words and left my position unclear. I made it evident at the forum that I was against creationism in schools. I received several emails about my position and now becasue of poor journalism I have to go out and make sure my position is clear to the public. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteOh and yes you can vote for all 3 districts. If you would like to know more about me visit my site www.FLeducationreform.com
ReplyDelete-Chris Smiley
I thank you both for your comments. I inserted some corrections into the above article's text (in italics) that reflect your comment, Chris. Good luck with your campaign!
ReplyDelete