Creationism: Should It Be Taught Along Side Evolution?

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Recommended: Creationism in schools pro and cons

For as long as many have known, it has been considered against the First Amendment to teach Creationism, or Creation Science, in schools. Although, considerably fifty percent of the world’s population believes that the world and everything in it was created by an intelligent mind because of the complexity and the order of world around us. This being said, many believe that there is a designer of the world and must be something more to its creation. I feel that Creationism or Creation Science should find a legitimate place along with the current Evolution Theory. If education is about investigation, then schools should have an open mind to exploring more than just Evolution.
According to the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Creationism or Creation Science is the belief in the biblical account of the creation of the world as described in the book of Genesis (“Creationism”). For years, schools and teachers have been scared to talk about “creation” in schools for fear of “breaking the law” or “offending students” but I feel it is time we stop being afraid, and open to a whole new realm of knowledge we have to offer students. In 1981, there was a law passed that made schools that taught Evolution also teach Creation Science for an equal amount of time. It was called “The Balanced Treatment Act.” The bill defined Creation Science as “The world was created from nothing (ex nihilo), a world wide flood, a ‘relatively recent inception’ of the earth, and a rejection of the common ancestry of humans from apes.” (Branch, Glen, and Eugenie 92-99). In the past, some states had banned evolution or made the schools use this “Balance Treatment Act” so they would teach both Evolution and Creation Science. Many of the researchers of Cre...

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...sm.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition (2013): 1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Boston, Rob. “Creationism Crusade.” Church and State 64.7 (2011): 9-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Branch, Glen, and Eugenie C. Scott. “ The Latest Face Of Creationism.” Scientific American 300.1 (2009): 92-99. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Chmelynski, Carol. “The ‘C’ Word Is Back: Creationism.” Education Digest 60.3 (1994): 14. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Hamre, James S. “The Creationist – Evolution Debate And The Public Schools.” Journal Of Church And State 33.4 (1991): 765. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Reiss, Michael J. “How Should Creationism And Intelligent Design Be Dealt With In The Classroom?.” Journal Of Philosophy Of Education 45.3 (2011). 399-415 Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

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