Mills 1

Ryan Mills

Mrs. Miller

English 112

23 March 2017

Evocative Evolution

An issue has been plaguing our public schools since the mid 1800’s. The issue is deciding

if either creationism or evolution should solely be taught to our children in public schools. Most

public schools today teach evolution in their academic curriculums. A concise definition of

evolution is that it is the scientific theory that life on earth evolved, or gradually changed over

time, to the state it is today. The main opposing view is called Creationism and it is the belief

that a divine creator created all life, as we know it as it is today, in other words; life did not

change from the point of creation to the present day.

This issue has created much conflict and controversy inside our nation, sometimes even

leading to large protests lead by either side; the main sides being those that fully support either

creationism or evolution as our origin and that the other belief should not be taught in our public

schools. Some individuals believe that students should not be forced to learn and accept

evolution as fact thus causing our youth to be brainwashed and not establishing their own set of

beliefs.

Some of those that support the removal of evolution in public schools believe that

creationism should instead replace evolution in the current curriculum or they may simply want

evolution removed due to conflicts involving their religious or other core beliefs. Other
 Mills 2

individuals want evolution removed from the academic curriculum for a more scientific reason;

this cause is due to evolution still being a theory that has yet to be proven completely. Some also

see it as a moral predicament that forcing children to learn about one of these beliefs without the

other and not allowing the children to choose is wrong.

I believe that neither evolution nor creationism should only solely dominate the

curriculum. I also believe that not only one of the plethora of origin beliefs should solely be

taught in our public schools. Both of the main beliefs should instead be taught in conjunction

with one another. If these beliefs cannot be taught simultaneously then they simply should not be

taught to in our public schools at all. I believe this due to the conflicts we have all witnessed

cause by having one belief taught without the other belief, or even being acknowledged, in a

student’s curriculum and the controversy this conflict generates, this issue still does cause

conflicts in the religious, scientific and educational communities even to this very day.

My solution to this problem would require a minor compromise by both sides that, in the

end, I believe would appease both involved parties and help the development of students in our

public schools. This may sound a tad naïve but if we were to teach both of the main origin beliefs

in our public school’s curriculum it may resolve this issue. We, as an alternative, could instead

simply have both of the beliefs offered as electives, thus leaving these beliefs outside of the main

curriculum but still allowing students to learn about either, instead of having students forced

being taught either, instead of as some might view, against a student’s will. Either of these

solutions would bring an end this scientific and religious conflict affecting our public schools

systems.
 Mills 3

These solutions would allow the students to choose what they want to believe is the

origin of our species and the origination of life on earth. This compromise would also allow the

children to not be brainwashed into believing which belief is right, wrong or better and allow the

students to decide for themselves what to believe. With this compromise, we should finally be

able to end almost all of the hostilities between the religious and scientific communities. This

would also be bettering our public educational systems, thus leading our students and therefore

our society to have a brighter future.

 Mills 4

Works Cited

“Evolution Should Not Be Taught as Science in Our School Systems.” Evolution Should Not Be

Taught as Science in Our School Systems. | Petition2Congress,

www.petition2congress.com/5529/evolution-should-not-be-taught-as-science-in-our-

school-systems. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

Mills, Emily. Personal interview. 21 Mar. 2016.