..:. Cracking My Vainpot .:..

"So you believe in... monkeys?" a 21yo Kansan asked. 

Since then, I wanted to find out what children here really learn at school.

 

 

 

Kansas City is a funny place that trap both godless liberals, right-wing religious fanatics and everyone in between.

Kansas thrust into international spotlight in 2005 when the state board of education voted 6-4 to adopt a new set of "science standards" that marginalized the theory of evolution. Those stupid "intelligent design" lazy fuckers redefined science, paving the way to slip God into science classroom through the backdoor (something that Texas is now trying to do).

So it felt kinda unreal and exciting to celebrate the bicentenary of Darwin's birthday here in KC at the Linda Hall Library today.

We were late for the cake, but did make it to the discussion session.

I half-expected some uninvited insane bible-thumping Jesus freaks screaming in tongues, and there was one.

But it was a brave greying school teacher who captured my attention, and here's what she said. 

"I'm a school teacher in Shawnee (Kansas). I teach general science to 14 year olds. There're lots of Bible literalists in our district. The kids believe in whatever their parents told them and would openly challenge me every time I talk about evolution or genetics."

"They're very well versed. If you tell them about fossils, they'd just say that God put them there to fool them."

"They'd say they're not animals and would totally take the class down that road. I can't debate with 14 year olds in class. Very often I'd just have to stop the conversation. I hope one day they'll think back and realized that yeah, we actually HAVE taught them science."

"Fortunately, the district board is very firm about the curriculum and book banning. We've always been able to strike a balance in our library collection because of our incredible librarians."

"In fact, every year we have a ban-book-day called "Right to Read"."

[This post is a salute to her and all the defenders of science and reason.]

Darwin celebration: full house at the Linda Hall Library, Kansas City