16% of high school science teachers are creationists.

[ToxicAdam]

Young Earth, bitches!
 

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13930-16-of-us-science-teachers-are-creationists.html

When Berkman's team asked about the teachers' personal beliefs, about the same number, 16% of the total, said they believed human beings had been created by God within the last 10,000 years.

Teachers who subscribed to these young-Earth creationist views, perhaps not surprisingly, spent 35% fewer hours teaching evolution than other teachers, the survey revealed.

[TVC15]

Not really a surprise.  Since school administrations are likely to include their own educational biases in the hiring process, I bet it's not so difficult to guess what parts of the country these teachers are more prominent in. 

[Tristam]

OK, I have to edit: <10,000 years? Are you fucking kidding me? So 16% of high school teachers believe that men cavorted around with dinosaurs?

[TVC15]

Also note that the article makes no distinction between public schools and the private, religious high schools where this sort of nonsense is more acceptable.

[Mandark]

So, are we pro-science this week?

[xnikki118x]

(Image removed from quote.)

I love this gif haha. The fact that I've actually seen that movie makes it even more hilarious.

[crimsondynamics]

(Image removed from quote.)

Please, I've been living my life for one purpose, so can someone, pretty please, with cherry on top, tell me where the farck does that gif come from?

[TVC15]

Jesus Camp.

[Tristam]

I love this gif haha. The fact that I've actually seen that movie makes it even more hilarious.

I only realized how incredibly appropriate it was following my edit.

[Mandark]

That one kid who did the youth preaching was a really good public speaker, especially for his age.  I'm sad that he's infected with the crazy but I couldn't help but root for him.

[Tristam]

Let's not get off topic here, folks! Our secondary educational system is infected with the crazy!

[TVC15]

Let's not get off topic here, folks! Our secondary educational system is infected with the crazy!

.

Also note that the article makes no distinction between public schools and the private, religious high schools where this sort of nonsense is more acceptable.

It's really not a problem.  Frankly, I'm surprised the percentage isn't higher.

[Tristam]

Let's not get off topic here, folks! Our secondary educational system is infected with the crazy!

.

Also note that the article makes no distinction between public schools and the private, religious high schools where this sort of nonsense is more acceptable.

It's really not a problem.  Frankly, I'm surprised the percentage isn't higher.

I think that statement is a potentially bigger indictment of public education if we saw the figures. AFAIK, the majority of secondary private schools in the U.S. are still Catholic, and Catholic schools are more secular than you may give them credit for.

[TVC15]

Let's not get off topic here, folks! Our secondary educational system is infected with the crazy!

.

Also note that the article makes no distinction between public schools and the private, religious high schools where this sort of nonsense is more acceptable.

It's really not a problem.  Frankly, I'm surprised the percentage isn't higher.

I think that statement is a potentially bigger indictment of public education if we saw the figures. AFAIK, the majority of secondary private schools in the U.S. are still Catholic, and Catholic schools are more secular than you may give them credit for.

Even still, keep in mind how religious a depressing portion of the US is.  All it takes is one Christian nutbar superintendent to stock a high school with his cronies.  And in the worst parts of the countries, that sort of thing is accepted, even in public schools.  I stand by my original reaction that 16% is actually lower than I would have thought.

[Tristam]

Let's not get off topic here, folks! Our secondary educational system is infected with the crazy!

.

Also note that the article makes no distinction between public schools and the private, religious high schools where this sort of nonsense is more acceptable.

It's really not a problem.  Frankly, I'm surprised the percentage isn't higher.

I think that statement is a potentially bigger indictment of public education if we saw the figures. AFAIK, the majority of secondary private schools in the U.S. are still Catholic, and Catholic schools are more secular than you may give them credit for.

Even still, keep in mind how religious a depressing portion of the US is.  All it takes is one Christian nutbar superintendent to stock a high school with his cronies.  And in the worst parts of the countries, that sort of thing is accepted, even in public schools.  I stand by my original reaction that 16% is actually lower than I would have thought.

Hey, I agree with you. I grew up with this nonsense -- I've lived the past eighteen years a two hour drive from Jesus Camp.  :'(

[Mandark]

From what I can tell the study doesn't have any regional breakdown of their data.  I'm surprised that the number is that low, but would be shocked if it were that high in my county.

[TVC15]

Look at it this way:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/061110.html

16% of science teachers is better than the national average.

[Flannel Boy]

Look at it this way:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/061110.html

16% of science teachers is better than the national average.

Well, at least your country isn't as bad as Turkey.

[crimsondynamics]

It's not that the earth is 10,000 years old; rather, god created humans at some point within the last 10,000 years.

The difference is huge. This, however, cannot be interpreted in any other way:

Let's assume god indeed *chuckle* did create humanity 10,000 years ago. god also created the universe and everything else in seven days; on the sixth day god created man.

So... 47% of Americans actually believe the universe was created within the last 60,000 years (since god rested on the seventh day).

I'm not a religious person at all, but my god...

[thekavorka]

are there any statistics of how many of the people polled are actually QUALIFIED to be high school science teachers? i bet a bunch of them are PE teachers masquerading around as science teachers