NCSE Evolution and Climate Education Update for 2017/09/01
Submitted by Peter Burns on Fri, 2017-09-01 15:37.
National Center for Science Education
(by NCSE Deputy Director Glenn Branch)
Dear friends of NCSE, Teacher/activist Brandon Haught implores the scientific community to stand up for science education, while the nomination of a creationist to a cabinet position is raising eyebrows in South Korea.
"KEEP ON MARCHING FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION" Writing in Nature (August 29, 2017), Brandon Haught urged the scientific community to redouble its efforts to support science educators. A high school science teacher in Florida, Haught is the communications director for the grassroots Florida Citizens for Science, the author of Going Ape: Florida's Battles Over Evolution in the Classroom (University Press of Florida, 2014) and a recipient of NCSE's Friend of Darwin award. "Hey, scientists, beleaguered high-school science teachers could use your support," Haught implored. "We need scientists who are willing to take the time and effort to push back against the textbook challenges that these new laws [in Florida] will encourage. We need expert advisers eager to review and recommend quality science textbooks for our schools. We need bold scientists ready to state unapologetically that evolution, global warming -- and, yes, even a round Earth -- are facts of life." Even small actions are helpful, Haught stressed: "Sign up for action alerts from the National Center for Science Education and your state's science-advocacy group, if you have one. Be a voice within any organizations you belong to, urging them to make statements supporting science education as issues arise. Introduce yourself to teachers at local elementary and high schools. Even if all you have to offer are ideas and emotional support, we'll take them." For Haught's column in Nature, visit: http://www.nature.com/news/keep-on-marching-for-science-education-1.22517 For Florida Citizens for Science and its blog, visit: http://www.flascience.org/ http://www.flascience.org/wp/ And for information about Going Ape from its publisher, visit: http://upf.com/book.asp?id=HAUGH002 CREATIONIST KERFUFFLE IN SOUTH KOREA Park Seong-jin, nominated to head the newly created ministry of small and medium venture business in South Korea, is in the news on account of his affliation with the Korea Association for Creation Research, reports the Korea Times (August 29, 2017). A professor of engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology and a start-up entrepreneur, Park reportedly resigned as director of the creationist association the day before he was nominated for the post. The Korea Times quoted him as telling reporters, "As a Christian, I have a faith in a religion based on creation, but I do not believe creation as a science ... I've never individually studied creation science either." The Korea Association for Creation Research, however, explicitly espouses creation science by name on its website and declares that "the results of creation by God recorded in Genesis are scientific facts." Jeong Jae-seung, a professor at KAIST (formerly the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), was quoted as lamenting, "Supporting creation science is not a religious choice. It is a denial of the scientific achievements of ... humankind so far." For the story in the Korea Times, visit: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2017/08/325_235559.html And for NCSE's previous coverage of events overseas, visit: https://ncse.com/news/international WHAT'S NEW AT NCSE'S BLOG? Have you been visiting NCSE's blog recently? If not, then you've missed: * Guest blogger Nate Chisholm discussing his experience on the NCSE Grand Canyon rafting trip: https://ncse.com/blog/2017/08/my-summer-trip-30-hp-time-machine-0018601 For NCSE's blog, visit: http://ncse.com/blog Thanks for reading. And don't forget to visit NCSE's website -- http://ncse.com -- where you can always find the latest news on evolution and climate education and threats to them. -- Sincerely, Glenn Branch Deputy Director National Center for Science Education, Inc. 1904 Franklin Street, Suite 600 Oakland CA 94612-2922 510-601-7203 fax 510-788-7971 branch@ncse.com http://ncse.com Check out NCSE's blog: http://ncse.com/blog Read Reports of the NCSE on-line: http://reports.ncse.com Subscribe to NCSE's free weekly e-newsletter: http://groups.google.com/group/ncse-news NCSE is on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/evolution.ncse http://www.youtube.com/NatCen4ScienceEd http://twitter.com/ncse NCSE's work is supported by its members. Join today! http://ncse.com/join
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