Yesterday, PLoS Biology published an alarming study about creationist belief demographics among high school biology teachers. It showed that 16% of high school biology teachers are young earth creationists (that’s the worst kind). This means that 16% of these teachers believe that the world is under 10,000 years old. This is just too ridiculous. I can’t imagine anyone actually believing it, let alone biology teachers. It’s scary to think that these people are teaching kids. I believe that these teachers should be fired and have their degrees revoked by their respective universities.
Actually, they shouldn’t have gotten their degrees in the first place. Before getting a science degree, students should be asked: “Are you a creationist?” If they give the wrong answer, they shouldn’t get their degree.
PZ Meyers summed up this morning’s news the best.
Here’s the most depressing thing I’ve seen all week (and I’m grading genetics exams): it’s the result of a national survey of high school biology teachers.
Below is the main figure from the study:
If you have the guts, go read the full study [via Pharyngula]
I think it didn’t help that every H.S. science teacher I had, had primarily been hired as a sports coach. From biology and marine biology to earth science, chemistry and physics…I never had a teacher whose primary job was Science. Um. Math. In the math department there were no coaches and same for English. I wonder what’s up with that?
That is one ridiculous stat, but like you’ve pointed out before they actually think they are correct so in their mind they are (hopefully not) teaching fact.