[TughEmotteTug]

New York City Department of Education Bans References To Dinosaurs To Avoid Insulting Creationists « JONATHAN TURLEY

[LypeReexy]

I'm not going to argue that this is a good policy but it's not as broad as that headline makes it seem. They want those words banned on standardized tests. That is, they want uncontroversial language on tests presumably because they worry delving into more socially (if not factually) controversial subjects could hurt students results. This is not about NYC not teaching evolution or about dinosaurs in class. Note they also want to ban the words divorce, dancing, disease, for fear that these might provoke negative emotional responses which would negatively effect testing. So, it's less about insulting creationists and more about avoiding subjects that would provoke negative emotional responses for the children taking the tests.

[longrema]

If someone uses the word "dinosaur" in school will there be a stoning? Without a stoning where will it end?

I hope that when school groups go to the Natural History Museum they will cover the offending exhibits. I suppose the museum could say that the T-Rex was really just a giraffe and was assembled wrong. That way they could avoid the stoning.

[wbeachcomber]

I know this guy provokes intense negative emotional responses from me.

[aideriimibion]

I'm not going to argue that this is a good policy but it's not as broad as that headline makes it seem. They want those words banned on standardized tests. That is, they want uncontroversial language on tests presumably because they worry delving into more socially (if not factually) controversial subjects could hurt students results. This is not about NYC not teaching evolution or about dinosaurs in class. Note they also want to ban the words divorce, dancing, disease, for fear that these might provoke negative emotional responses which would negatively effect testing. So, it's less about insulting creationists and more about avoiding subjects that would provoke negative emotional responses for the children taking the tests.

So they want to avoid trigger words? Each human has their own word that triggers negative emotions, I don't think that's possible.

[sciectotacype17]

If someone uses the word "dinosaur" in school will there be a stoning? Without a stoning where will it end?

I hope that when school groups go to the Natural History Museum they will cover the offending exhibits. I suppose the museum could say that the T-Rex was really just a giraffe and was assembled wrong. That way they could avoid the stoning.

Yeah i was wondering what would happen on field trips myself. A really big cow? They're city kids how would they know?

I know this guy provokes intense negative emotional responses from me.

Me too - makes me want to scream and slap someone.

[triarmarm]

The Theory of Evolution is not controversial, it is extremely well tested and well accepted. That's why it's called a Theory instead of a Hypothesis.

In contrast, intelligent design is not well tested or accepted; it is a hypothesis, and it has failed many tests, i.e. it will not become Theory.

It is worth noting that the New York Board of Education is heavily Democrat-controlled, as is New York City, and New York State.

I don't see why they mention Sarah Palin, as she has little to do with the New York Board of Education, or the City and State Governments in NY.

The thought police and politically-correct police have worked very hard to eliminate "controversial" words in the past, with little outcry. Maybe now that the particular politicized subject area which is being censured hits a little closer to home, we can take a look at this BS overall and get rid of it.

[Keyblctt]

The NYC Board of Education already repealed this after parents made a fuss:

NYC Drops Banned Word List

It wasn't only evolution that was banned, but things like birthday parties, Halloween, junk food, nuclear weapons, homes with swimming pools and a long list of other goodies. Good riddance to this stupid rule.

[Vedun*]

The NYC Board of Education already repealed this after parents made a fuss...

They caved into a small group of politically correct lame-stream media watchers that want to eliminate fat from diets and want every woman to have a body like Michelle Obama.

[Fainnamoony]

They caved into a small group of politically correct lame-stream media watchers that want to eliminate fat from diets and want every woman to have a body like Michelle Obama.

I don't understand your point. Wouldn't the politically correct position be to ban these words? Parents objected to the banning and said it was ridiculous to eliminate these words from standardized tests. How is that 'a small group of politically correct lame-stream media watchers'?

[ValintinoV]

The Theory of Evolution is not controversial, it is extremely well tested and well accepted. That's why it's called a Theory instead of a Hypothesis.

In contrast, intelligent design is not well tested or accepted; it is a hypothesis, and it has failed many tests, i.e. it will not become Theory.

It is worth noting that the New York Board of Education is heavily Democrat-controlled, as is New York City, and New York State.

I don't see why they mention Sarah Palin, as she has little to do with the New York Board of Education, or the City and State Governments in NY.

The thought police and politically-correct police have worked very hard to eliminate "controversial" words in the past, with little outcry. Maybe now that the particular politicized subject area which is being censured hits a little closer to home, we can take a look at this BS overall and get rid of it.

Evolution is controversial. It's not scientifically controversial but it is controversial. Also the phrase "theory of evolution" is not indicative of its acceptance by the scientific community. It's just common parlance.

Again this is not NYC trying to be the thought police. And it's not about the state at all. NYC teaches evolution. It's NYC trying to minimize emotional responses on an English or Math standardized test to avoid interference with what they are trying to test. Was banning the words evolution and dancing going too far and being silly? Probably. Is it NYC being the thought police and telling us not to think about evolution? No. Standardized tests are meant to be controlled and written in a way to give every student an equal chance to perform on the given subjects without extraneous distractions. If little conservative boys break down and start crying because the word evolution is used in their math word problem and our goal is to assess their mathematical abilities then it might make sense not to use the word evolution on math tests. To present this as thought police is silly.

[GenrieAB]

Evolution is controversial. It's not scientifically controversial but it is controversial. Also the phrase "theory of evolution" is not indicative of its acceptance by the scientific community. It's just common parlance.

Have to disagree with you. Evolution is controversial among a fundamentalist religious segment of the public, but not among scientists. Defining evolution as a theory is not just common parlance - a theory is a group of hpotheses that have been tested and have predictive and explanatory value. Whether certain people 'believe' them or not, they are still accepted scientific theories. Sure they are modified as further testing is done-that's the way that science works, but so far no one has offered anything scientific to replace evolutionary theory. Evolutionary theory is the foundation of modern biology.

[huntbytnkbel]

Stephen Jay Gould explains this well:

Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts do not go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's, but apples did not suspend themselves in mid-air, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from apelike ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other, yet to be discovered.

[buyviagraonlineusatoday]

Have to disagree with you. Evolution is controversial among a fundamentalist religious segment of the public, but not among scientists. Defining evolution as a theory is not just common parlance - a theory is a group of hpotheses that have been tested and have predictive and explanatory value. Whether certain people 'believe' them or not, they are still accepted scientific theories. Sure they are modified as further testing is done-that's the way that science works, but so far no one has offered anything scientific to replace evolutionary theory. Evolutionary theory is the foundation of modern biology.

I'm not sure how we're disagreeing.

I understand that it's a minority view held mostly by a religious people hence why I linked to a 2009 poll that showed that. I specifically mentioned that there is no scientific controversy about it.

Regarding the use of the word "theory" I did not mean to imply that theory has no scientific meaning. I meant to imply that when people say "theory of evolution" they are generally just repeating a phrase that has entered the vernacular which does not necessarily reflect its scientific meaning. I know that I "believe in evolution" but when I say "theory of evolution" I am just repeating the phrase which I know represents a subset of scientific theories explaining it such natural selection, speciation, etc.

[nuveem7070]

They caved into a small group of politically correct lame-stream media watchers that want to eliminate fat from diets and want every woman to have a body like Michelle Obama.

WTF is lame stream media - i keep hearing it and it sounds like if you are far left it means far right and visa versa.

p.s. i'd love to have arms like michelle obama. but mine are strong enough.

[DYjLN8rF]

stephen jay gould explains this well:

well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts do not go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced newton's, but apples did not suspend themselves in mid-air, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from apelike ancestors whether they did so by darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other, yet to be discovered.

love!!!

[alexosnasos2]

WTF is lame stream media - i keep hearing it and it sounds like if you are far left it means far right and visa versa.

Pretty much.. same thing goes for media "bias" these says. The term originated with Sarah Palin and is a play on "mainstream media" which is used on political blogs to refer to the traditional media (e.g. major newspapers and tv networks).

(However, I believe Colin's comment was a joke)

[Dwencejed]

I don't understand your point. Wouldn't the politically correct position be to ban these words? Parents objected to the banning and said it was ridiculous to eliminate these words from standardized tests. How is that 'a small group of politically correct lame-stream media watchers'?

I'm sorry. I was being SARRRRR - CASSSSSS - TIC. OOOOOOO KKKKKKKKKK.

ok

Writing sarcasm is difficult. I mean DIFFFFFF I CUUUUUULT.

[55TRATTERENRY]

I'm sorry. I was being SARRRRR - CASSSSSS - TIC. OOOOOOO KKKKKKKKKK.

ok

Writing sarcasm is difficult. I mean DIFFFFFF I CUUUUUULT.

Sorry. I missed the sarcasm tag. I'm used to dealing with people who write this stuff seriously on the creation science threads

[popsicesHoupe]

Sorry. I missed the sarcasm tag. I'm used to dealing with people who write this stuff seriously on the creation science threads

Pardon me, I usually put sarcasm in IIIIIIIITALICS or try in some way to make it more OBBBBBVVVVVIOUS.