Homeschool Textbooks ‘Dismiss’ Evolution

You may have seen the MSNBC report on how homeschool textbooks dismiss evolution and darwinism. It’s clearly written from the standpoint of those who don’t believe in creation. That’s okay.

What disturbs me is why the Associated Press is so concerned with what’s in homeschool textbooks at all. Homeschoolers have taken the responsibility for their children’s education into their own hands, yet the AP is sticking its nose in to private homes.

There are so many reasons why families choose to homeschool. But anyone familiar with homeschoolers knows that the majority of us teach about the origin of life with a creation worldview. However, for the most part, homeschoolers in every state have a lot of freedom to choose their science curriculum from many different sources.

Contrast that with the lack of freedom in the public schools. Just the thought of having creation taught in public schools brings up all sorts of debate and discussion of ‘separation of church and state’ and other such nonsense. Parents of public-schooled children have very little say.

But it’s not enough for the majority of American kids to be taught that evolution is a fact, and that religion has no place in science. Now home schools are being scrutinized. I don’t think this is a random article. I expect to hear more from the same crowd, insisting that even homeschool curriculum should be ‘approved’ nationwide by some educational bureaucrat somewhere.

Meanwhile, the creators of public school textbooks debate whether to educate Texas children on the impact of Hip-Hop music, or whether Christmas should be included in a list of cultural holidays discussed in sixth grade. What’s next? Texting 101?

Here’s a kooky idea: If you like what the public schools teach, send your kids there. If not, teach them at home. But let the parents who choose to homeschool pick their own curriculum.

Last I checked, America was a free country. Certainly what we teach our children in our own homes should be left alone.

FYI: Every homeschool science text I’ve seen gives very detailed information on the theory of evolution, and compares it to creationism. As a child, I attended public, private, and homeschool, and since teaching my own children from a creation worldview, I’ve learned more about evolution than I ever knew before. Evolution is not ‘dismissed.’ It’s debated. There’s a huge difference.

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