libraries and evolution teaching

[John Grehan]

The library! I forgot about the library. This is the great leveling field on
competing theories. Even if some published efforts are at a disadvantage,
enough will get in. Now with internet resources people can access the
scope of literature beyond that held by their own library (and in the
case of school libraries that are much smaller this would be important).

If students are taught the basics of scientific enquiry - the ability to
think critically and ask questions, it really does not matter what theories
they are presented with in school? Once a student digs into the literature
beyond the classroom presentation the subject (whatever that may
be opens up without limits) it is possible to expose oneself to alternatives
and perhaps make up one's own mind. 

I was taught only the classical natural selection model of evolution at
school and in the univerisity undergraduate courses, but that did not stop me
chosing an alternative once I read more widely, and that reading was
certainly not under the control of a thought police.


John Grehan