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A professor at Washington University in St. Louis wants to implement a what some fear would be a tracking program for students who take creationism classes. Joshua Swamidass, Ph.D., contends this “constructive solution” would hold Christian institutions to a higher academic standard.
“Credit from courses that include creation science should not be used toward science degrees,” he wrote in a “Wall Street Journal” op-ed piece. “Nor should they be eligible for transfer to secular institutions. Deviations from national norms in a science curriculum need to be prominently disclosed, tracked and reported.”
David Klinghoffer, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, warned that Swamidass’s suggestion is troubling.
“Creationist thoughts and those who think them are indeed penalized in his system,” Klinghoffer wrote in “Evolution News & Science Today.” “Invidious labeling is all about reward and punishment….and this is a very dangerous concept.”
READ: Organization promotes creationism for students
Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University, criticized Swamidass’s claims, calling them misleading.
“Our students, while adhering to biblical viewpoints on the origin and diversity of life, must be fully conversant with, and able to think critically about, both models,” he said. “Dr. Swamidass’s ‘compromise’ — excluding credit from courses presenting evidence for multiple models — would marginalize outstanding scientists with biblical viewpoints about origins.”
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Klinghoffer added that Swamidass’s suggestion is also a move toward tighter censorship.
“I don’t see any reason why the labeling or othering concept should not be expanded to cover areas of education where other out-group ideas are discussed, whether political, cultural or philosophical,” he said. “Where would it end? With increasingly aggressive censorship by big tech, racial indoctrination in the workplace and state-imposed lockdowns approaching a one-year anniversary, it has felt more and more like we are living in China. If the Swamidass proposal were accepted, it would be a step further in that direction.”
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
