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A Threat to Geoscience Education: Creationist Anti-Evolution Activity in Canada Jason R Document généré le 26 sept. 2021 19:00 Geoscience Canada A Threat to Geoscience Education: Creationist Anti-Evolution Activity in Canada Jason R. Wiles Volume 33, numéro 3, september 2006 Résumé de l'article Je rejet de l'idée d'évolution biologique et géologique est un problème URI : https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/geocan33_3com01 généralisé auquel est confronté l'enseignement des sciences. Récemment, aux États-Unis, certains événements ont porté l'activisme anti-évolution à Aller au sommaire du numéro l'avant-scène de la couverture médiatique de l'enseignement des sciences, mais ici au Canada, il est fréquent que les Canadiens ne soient pas conscients qu'un tel mouvement créationniste et anti-évolution existe. Le présent article décrit Éditeur(s) divers mouvements créationnistes et anti-évolution, d'origine étrangère et canadienne, qui menace l'enseignement de la biologie et des sciences de la The Geological Association of Canada Terre. Les efforts de ces organisations créationnistes peuvent avoir un effet préjudiciable sur le contenu des programmes d'enseignement des sciences et ISSN sur la compréhension du public de l'évolution et des sciences en général. 0315-0941 (imprimé) 1911-4850 (numérique) Découvrir la revue Citer cet article Wiles, J. R. (2006). A Threat to Geoscience Education: Creationist Anti-Evolution Activity in Canada. Geoscience Canada, 33(3), 135–140. All rights reserved © The Geological Association of Canada, 2006 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d’auteur. L’utilisation des services d’Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d’utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne. https://apropos.erudit.org/fr/usagers/politique-dutilisation/ Cet article est diffusé et préservé par Érudit. Érudit est un consortium interuniversitaire sans but lucratif composé de l’Université de Montréal, l’Université Laval et l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. https://www.erudit.org/fr/ GEOSCIENCE CANADA Volume 33 Number 3 September 2006 135 COMMENTARY certains événements ont porté l’ac- tions. Its mission is simple: to advance tivisme anti-évolution à l'avant-scène de the teaching and learning of biological la couverture médiatique de l’enseigne- evolution through research. It is not an ment des sciences, mais ici au Canada, il activist group. Its members often est fréquent que les Canadiens ne soient engage in outreach activities, and it does pas conscients qu’un tel mouvement receive requests for assistance from stu- créationniste et anti-évolution existe. Le dents and teachers with regard to evolu- présent article décrit divers mouvements tion education. créationnistes et anti-évolution, d’origine étrangère et canadienne, qui menace l'en- RECENT HISTORY seignement de la biologie et des sciences It seems that most Canadians dismiss the de la Terre. Les efforts de ces organisa- creationist opposition to evolution edu- A Threat to Geoscience tions créationnistes peuvent avoir un cation in Kansas, as if we have moved Education: Creationist Anti- effet préjudiciable sur le contenu des beyond such issues in this country. programmes d'enseignement des sci- However, most of them are unaware of Evolution Activity in Canada ences et sur la compréhension du public just how little evolution is represented in de l’évolution et des sciences en général. Canadian curricula, and they are general- Jason R. Wiles ly unaware of Canada’s own controver- McGill University INTRODUCTION sies regarding evolution education. For Evolution Education Research Centre, 3700 In this article, the misconceptions found example, few recall the embarrassment McTavish Street, Montréal, QC, H3A 1Y2, among Canadian scientific scholars as the Ontario Ministry of Education suf- Canada, [email protected] well as the general public that funda- fered in 2000, when headlines regarding mentalist creationist activity or rejection their new curriculum read: SUMMARY of evolutionary theory stops at the US “Evolution nearly extinct in classroom: The rejection of biological and geologi- border, is addressed in some detail. New science curriculum tries to avoid con- cal evolution is a pervasive problem in Creationists and their supporters put troversy” (Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 29, 2000) science education. Recent events in the pressure on schools and teachers in United States have brought anti-evolu- Canada. The Evolution Education “Ontario downplays evolution education” tion activity to the forefront in media Research Centre (EERC), often hears (Victoria Times-Colonist, Oct. 30, 2000) coverage of science education, but about these anti-evolution activities from Canadians are often unaware that such teachers and concerned members of the “Ontario education is missing a link” creationist, anti-evolution activity is pres- community. (Sudbury Star, Nov. 1, 2000) ent in Canada as well. In this article, The EERC opened its doors at various foreign and Canadian-based anti- McGill University in 2001 with four “There's a missing link in our schools” evolution efforts that threaten biology McGill and four Harvard university pro- (Guelph Daily Mercury, Nov. 1, 2000) and geoscience education are discussed. fessors, who have expertise in anthro- These creationist organizations and their pology, biological evolution, educational “Evolution theory off-limits; Provincial cur- activities may adversely influence psychology, geology, molecular biology, riculum shies from teaching topic to avoid Canadian science curricula and public palaeontology, philosophy of science/ controversy”(The Windsor Star, Oct. 30, understanding of evolution and science education, and science education. In 2000) in general. addition, the Centre currently has a full- time manager, a small team of research Stories similar to these ran in SOMMAIRE assistants, and several prominent, inter- papers across Canada in late 2000, and Je rejet de l’idée d’évolution biologique national collaborators. The Centre perhaps one of the most interesting arti- et géologique est un problème généralisé receives modest financial support from cles regarding the Ontario curriculum auquel est confronté l’enseignement des the federal government and McGill during that time was found in the sciences. Récemment, aux États-Unis, University, as well as from private dona- Ottawa Citizen on November 9, 2000. 136 Graham Hughes (2000) reported that, Canadian headquarters in Waterloo, ON, but it would be wrong to assume that ironically, even though the bulk of from where it coordinates events across they all operate solely within churches. resistance to evolution education is reli- the country (Answers in Genesis web- For example, Laurence Tisdall, the presi- giously motivated, one Ottawa clergy- site, accessed 2006). dent of the Creation Science man was doing more than the framers of AiG, under its new banner of, Association of Québec (CSAQ), claims the Ontario curriculum to ensure that ‘Creation Ministries International’, has to have debated in favour of creation- evolution was being taught. This article recently sponsored anti-evolution “field ism, over a dozen times, in prominent chronicled the efforts of Rev. Brian trips” and presentations aimed at refuting academic institutions in Canada, such as Kopke as he set up a weekend school at modern geology at sites such as the McGill University, Université Laval, and his church to teach the science he saw Niagara Escarpment, Canada’s west the Université de Montréal – and further missing from the provincial curriculum. coast, and at their “Creation Family claims never to have been defeated in In the words of the Rev. Kopke, “I can't Camp” on the Red Deer River in these debates. In fact, “Canada’s imagine kids going through the whole school sys- Alberta. Also, they are currently spon- Creation Speaker Pages” lists, “How to tem and coming out the other end without soring Australian creation minister, Rev. debate an evolutionist and NEVER knowing anything about evolution.” Hughes Peter Sparrow, on his “Canadian lose”, as one of Tisdall’s stock presenta- (2000) further states that, .. “there are so Outback Tour”. This project involves an tions (Canada’s Creation Information many kids out there who are going to be going extensive series of anti-evolution speak- Portal 2006). His touted undefeated into the sciences – and even the humanities – ing engagements in Ontario, Manitoba, record is questionable, but the unfortu- who need to have some idea of how all of this Alberta, and Saskatchewan (Creation nate outcome of these events is that cre- fits into a framework and how important sci- Ministries International website, accessed ationists always come away with at least ence is to who we are”. 2006). Recently, other non-Canadian one type of victory – the ability to say In the United States, and in groups have been active within our bor- that they have argued creation vs evolu- Canada, a dominant form of anti-evolu- ders, such as Kent Hovind’s, Creation tion at respected academic institutions. tionism is “creation science”. A form of Science Evangelism (CSE website, Creationists reporting on such debates what is usually called young-earth cre- accessed 2006), which is run from the might imply that these activities on uni- ationism, creation science holds that the site of Dinosaur Adventure Land, his versity campuses indicate that the validi- earth, and the universe are about 6000 to anti-evolution theme park in Pensacola, ty of evolution is still being “debated” 10,000 years old. It also accepts flood Florida (Dinosaur Adventure Land web- by scientists at the highest academic geology – the idea that Noah’s flood was site, accessed 2006). Hovind, an evangel- level, and that it is a “theory in crisis”. a historical worldwide event responsible ist also known as “Dr. Dino”, has made It is, of course, not. According to the for the fossil record and for major geo- several appearances in Canada delivering Academy of Sciences of the Royal logical features like the Grand Canyon. his message of the purported impossibil- Society of Canada (1985), evolution is Furthermore, taking the Genesis ity of biological and geological evolution.
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