And then I introduce them to Harvey... and he's bigger and grander than anything they offer me.

My middle daughter who is a 7th Grader just brought home a "Dear parents" letter from her science teacher which concluded with the following paragraph--

"Finally, I know that astronomy teaches on some subjects that may be considered sensitive. We will be discussing the formation of the universe and the big bang theory. If you are uncomfortable with your student learning about this please sign and return the bottom portion of the page. I will give your child an alternative assignment and they will not be held responsible for the material on the test."

We checked the district webpage and could find nothing on science curriculum so we're still trying to find out if this was the district or just the teacher heading off on his own tangent. Either way we're alternating between bemused suggestions to each other of funny replies ("As pastafarians we believe the world was created by the noodly appendages of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and would like our daughter to opt OUT of your big ban propoganda") to complaints to the district.

What do you guys think?

I never get out of this cave.

Does anyone know why this creationist class at natural history museum doesn't qualify as child abuse?



It does make it clear to me why teens seem to have rebellion coded into their genes. It's a survival instinct that evolved over millions of years to help us throw off the views of dumb-ass parents like these home-schooling knuckle-draggers.

I'm also a bit confused as to why the museum allows this. They say they don't want to make them feel persecuted but what about the other patrons? If this was an art museum and somebody regularly brought through a group of kids while loudly proclaiming that every single piece of art hanging on the walls was terrible I don't think they'd permit that for very long.

We need to stop coddling stupidity for pete's sakes.

I'm sorry you're stupid.

Via Kos her's a link to an article describing one scientist's tour of the Creation Museum. Be sure to check out the pictures of the Velociraptor enjoying the company of Eve (wearing a baptismal dress apparently) or the Triceratops with the saddle (the producers of Dinotopia ought to sue.)

The whole thing seems to have a Disney/ theme park vibe to it which is appropriate considering both the world of Disney and the ideas of creationists are both grounded in fantasy. That brings to mind just a couple of ideas for attractions-

Devolution Revolution - Basically the teacups ride but instead of cups you're in baptismal fonts. You spin and spin until you're so dizzy that creationism actually makes sense.

Darwin's Monkey Island of Doom - Populated by all the strange creatures that truly would have come into existence had evolution been real. Dogs with opposable thumbs that would allow them to open the fridge, chickens with necks made out of solid steel so they wouldn't wind up on the dinner table and men with infrared vision that would allow them to see women's underwear would all terrorize the visitors to this island.

Dig Your Own Grand Canyon - For the wee ones. Dig your own 18 mile wide canyon in a sandbox with only a spoon.

Hall of Ugly People - Obviously natural selection and survival of the fittest would never have allowed the likes of Keith Richards or Dick Cheney.