Tuesday, April 06, 2010

 

Blinker Slippage


Ah, the "evolution wars" seem to be flaring up again at La Sierra University, a Seventh-day Adventist school. I've noted previous outbreaks and now so has the Adventist News Network:

Last year, a Web site called "Educate Truth" posted a collection of articles and documents which its editor, Shane Hilde, a 2005 English graduate of La Sierra, says allow "students and parents to make informed decisions, and also creates awareness in the [Adventist] church."

On the Web site, Hilde notes, "There are biology professors at La Sierra University who believe and teach evolution as the preferred scientific worldview."
Imagine that! Biology professors actually teaching that science is the preferred scientific "worldview" (i.e. the best theory we have).

But the elbows are getting sharp:

Caught in the crossfire is La Sierra student Louie Bishop. He said he was placed on "citizenship probation" by the school for circulating letters opposing the teaching of evolutionary concepts and for posting notes of a professor's lecture online, despite a verbal agreement that Bishop would not do so without consulting the teacher.

In a January 25 interview, Bishop said he "thought a lot about that before I did that and I talked to a lot of people because I was wrestling with certain things and the administration issued me this status of citizenship probation. From U.S. copyright law I understand the university doesn't have the right to do anything if I am posting a lecture online for academic critique. There is nothing wrong with reproducing that."

Despite Bishop's individual case, about which the school is reluctant to comment citing federal student privacy laws, La Sierra's [executive director of university relations Larry] Becker said the school is trying to move beyond the Web-fueled controversy.
For those who have been habitués of the talk.origins newsgroup, there is also the "news" that Sean Pittman, M.D. has joined in the fray.

It's so hard to keep dedicated teachers hewing to the dogma line.
.

Comments:
Pittman is still out there? Egads.
 
Still crazy after all these years!
 
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