Science prof Jerry Bergman notes a tendency in academic freedom court cases: “In all cases when information interpreted as favorable to a theistic worldview was presented in the classroom, the ruling went against the instructor, while in all cases critical of Intelligent Design and/or theism, U.S. courts ruled in favor of the teacher.”
Advancement of all forms of knowledge depends on the right to freely search for the truth and the unhindered ability to disseminate the results. For this reason, academic freedom is universally regarded as a central requirement of a free society and a prerequisite for social and scientific advancement. Although college instructors are considered to have more academic freedom than high school teachers, litigation does not support this claim in the area of religious speecti. Ttiere is little difference in legal rulings at any academic level. In all cases when information interpreted as favorable to a theistic worldview was presented in the classroom, the ruling went against the instructor, while in all cases critical of Intelligent Design and/or theism, U.S. courts ruled in favor of the teacher. In all cases it was the teacher who appealed to the courts claiming that academic freedom was denied, not the institution. Ruling that academic freedom does not reside in the teacher, but rather in the institution, goes against the very definition and purpose of academic freedom
Sounds like evidence isn’t the issue here. The issue is upholding the philosophy of the ruling class, whatever it is.
“Ruling that academic freedom does not reside in the teacher, but rather in the institution, goes against the very definition and purpose of academic freedom.”
Well, not really. Academic freedom is parallel to press freedom. Publishers are free to CHOOSE and edit what they publish, with the usual limits of libel and violence. Authors don’t have the right to BE published. If no publisher will pay them, they do have the right to BECOME a publisher for their own work.
Similarly, the teacher and the curriculum are chosen and edited by the school. Academic freedom means that a private school should be able to say anything it wants, within the same limits of libel and violence. A school can fire or edit its teachers just as a magazine can fire or edit its authors.
If a teacher can’t find a school that will ‘publish’ his thoughts, he can express them outside of a school through public lectures or writings; or create his own school-like organization.
Does academic freedom include the right to teach your own religious views to students in a science classroom as if those views were scientific?
Sev,
Does academic freedom include the right to teach your own
religious[–> ideological, especially a priori materialistic] views to students in a science classroom as if those views were scientific?KF
PS, in case you do not know,
and:
The Problem of “God-talk” in Biology Textbooks
https://uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/the-problem-of-god-talk-in-biology-textbooks/
The authors trace and analyze theological content in science textbooks
https://journals.blythinstitute.org/ojs/index.php/cbi/article/view/44/44
Kairosfocus/3
No, I would say the restriction applies to the promotion of any religion or ideology an the science classroom.