The Dangers of Teaching Belief as Fact

I stumbled across across this article that details that latest legal battle betwixt evolution and creation/ID.
It describes how the parents of a group of Christian students who were privately schooled are suing the University of California. The University deemed that their private schooling did not provide the necessary pre-requisites required for admission into a science program.
While attending this private school, the students were taught literal creationism and were not exposed to the theory of evolution.

Of course, a private school has the right to teach whatever they want. However, the absurd thing is that the plaintiffs in this case don't seem to realize that the University has the same right. The University has the right to accepted or deny you based on their criteria, this is regardless of your faith. The University has a standard to uphold and making concessions and relaxing requirements based on the personal beliefs of applicants leads to an over-all decline in the quality of education. Essentially, what the plaintiff's are seeking is special treatment based on their religious convictions.

These are the unfortunate consequences of a faith based education. These students, who may have been given very little choice as to where they were educated will now be barred from the top schools in America simply because of the religious convictions held by their parents. These kids, whom under other circumstances, may have had a brilliant future in science will now be punished for their parents poor choices. They were given an education based around their parents beliefs rather than on what would have been best for the child.

I honestly don't understand how the plaintiffs could have expected any other outcome. Did they really believe that the University wouldn't check to see what kind of classes the kids been taking, or the textbooks they'd been using?

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"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."-Einstein

Being taught creationism cripples a child's education, especially in the sciences.

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I hope that this case gets laughed out and creationist parents realise once and for all that a creationism education just isn't going to cut it in a part of the world where real science is studied. Seriously, this lawsuit seems to me like someone suing a university because they didn't allow someone able to change a tyre onto their economics course... One has nothing to do with the other in much the same way as apologetics has nothing to do with real science.

After all, that's what these "creation science" lessons/seminars/textbooks/etc are. Preaching in the guise of education. Sad really...

I feel somewhat sorry for the kids whose educations have now been ruined by their parents' religious obsessions.

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Exactly, these kids may never be able to have a real shot at a decent higher education simply because their parents are too stubborn to understand and accept scientific fact.

I swear, this could only happen in the United States.

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"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."-Einstein

I, for one, applaud the University of California. I've only ever known one YEC in college, and by the end of her junior year she was no longer YEC. It seems that when predictable theory works time and time again, you tend to accept it.

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I only respond to silliness or obfuscation with cute pictures of animals. You have been warned.

"However as Voegelin has a tendency to dismiss those he disagrees with, or who question his assumptions, as 'smart idiots' or as 'spiritually diseased', then these others may tend to wonder if it is not Voegelin who is avoiding the hard questions - especially as his work is so voluminous." -Wikipedia

"That assumes that gravity as we know it existed then. Interesting dream." -you know who

I am a firm believer that creationism does not belong in the science classroom. If anything, students should be taught more on evolution, including its limitations in explaining what we observe in living things.

If this wins I'm going to apply to Christian universities and "colleges" that teach creationism and sue if they don't accomidate my Atheism.

Most Christian universities teach evolution as the standard in science education.

My post had two points expressed as one, so it was confusing. I know that most christian universities teach Evolution but most require church attendings and Christian beliefs. If they can't accept my Atheism, I have just as much of a lawsuit as the people in the OP. As for the Creationism teaching universities they have to prepare a special curriculum for me.

What limitations?

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“It took me years, but letting go of religion has been the most profound wake up of my life. I feel I now look at the world not as a child, but as an adult. I see what's bad and it's really bad. But I also see what is beautiful, what is wonderful. And I feel so deeply appreciative that I am alive. How dare the religious use the term 'born again.' That truly describes freethinkers who've thrown off the shackles of religion so much better!” - Julia Sweeney