Mike L., Good Schools, Darwin and Evolution

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CONTENTS:

"...every group that wishes to see conflicting interests resolved reasonably, or is wise about the conditions under which it enjoys its own freedom, must be profoundly concerned with the state of freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of inquiry and teaching, freedom of press and other forms of communication, freedom of cultural opportunity and development. For in large measure intelligent moral choice depends upon them."
--Sidney Hook (1902-1988), disciple of John Dewey, and champion of pragmatism and democracy

Mike sees a relationship between the work of Margaret Sanger and Darwin

I am not terribly familiar with Margaret Sanger. She sounds to me like a person I would rather not know personally. Fortunately, because she is dead (1879-1966), that privilege will never become an issue.

Mike, on the other hand, does sound like a person I would enjoy knowing. Partly because his letter is interesting, and partly because he is looking forward to the rest of my review of Darwin's Descent. I can't wait for it either.

Here is the text of Mike's letter:

Goodschools

A person whom I think you [and your readers] might find interesting is Margaret Sanger (she was married to the man who founded the Dixie Cup Company). Margaret Sanger was a firm believer in Eugenics, and as such was instrumental in the mandatory sterilization of people of who were in prisons, asylums, orphans, etc., in states like Virginia, Kentucky and others. She also sponsored visits by Nazis to the US in the 30's to speak on Eugenics. Sanger is most famous of course for being the founder of Planned Parenthood.

I think it ties in with your racism/Darwin review and the concept of
tinkering with species that are "improving."

Along this line I think that any discussion needs to address the fact that in animals with shorter life spans it is easy to see, over multiple generations, certain changes that show a response to environment...such as with fish in which the water is progressively slightly less salty with each generation...it is the explanation as to why there are Fresh Water Sharks in Lake Nicaragua...it was separated from the ocean by an earthquake/volcano
and eventually the rivers into the inlet made it a fresh water lake.

Also, fish, lizards, etc. that are kept in no light at all show changes in their eye structures...they become larger, etc.

I will say there is no evidence of a species evolving into another existing species...ie. chimps into people...but I think that adaptations within species is a different topic...

For instance, Sickle Cell Anemia is actually a benefit to people who live in an
environment that is malaria infested. .However, for people who have a life
span greater than 50 years this disease can be fatal. In the old days it was Sickle Cell
Anemia that got them to live to 30 to 35...diseases that kicked in at 50 were not really an issue...

But I don't believe that adaptations within species have anything to do with evolution...I think it is a completely separate issue.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of your review...

Mike

My Comments:

I really found little to critique in Mike's letter. I do think that his next-to-last sentence might better read: "...I believe that changes within species are more along the line of adaptations than Darwinian evolution..." I am not sure if Mike would allow me that latitude. I think he might. I think it an issue of semantics. Anyway, aside from that one matter, Mike makes no unsubstantiated claims or unclear statements. He is satisfied simply to state his opinion, provide some very interesting examples of adaptations, and make a reading recommendation. Thanks, Mike, for your thoughtful comments.

Would you like to see related letters and my comments?

--Mike Carrier (MA, NYU--Graduate School of Arts and Science)

This site features a frank presentation of issues facing parents, taxpayers and schools in reforming schools in the twenty-first century. Good Schools promotes good schools, and explains what is necessary to achieve good schools. We are convinced that good schools can be obtained only with sound curriculum, which does not include the teaching of Darwin's theory of origin, or Darwin's theory of evolution. We believe that local school boards need to be empowered, and the influence of teachers' unions ought to be limited to labor-related issues. Teachers' unions should have no say in curriculum.

We are convinced that the teachings of Darwin, particularly Darwin's teachings on evolution, and Darwin's theories on origins, ought not be taught as fact. Darwin and Darwin's theories are not generally accepted by contemporary physicists and cosmologists, and, therefore, Darwin and Darwin's theories ought not be accepted whole-cloth by our schools of education, and ought not be presented as fact in public schools.

Because Richard Dawkins has set himself up as the number one defender of Darwin and Darwin's theory of evolution, we will go to some length explaining Dawkins' Darwin defenses, and we will do our best to explode Dawkins' Darwin defenses.

We seek to show from Darwin's own hand that Darwin, and Darwin's theory of evolution, are racist at the core. Darwin was a racist, Darwin's theory of evolution is racist, and Darwin's theory of origins is racist.

We further seek to show that Darwin's theory of evolution is not scientific. We show that racism, more than science, was behind Darwin and Darwin's theory of evolution, and Darwin's theory of origins.

Some of the terms commonly used on this site are: Darwin, Dawkins, schools, public schools, education, gun control, teachers, John Dewey, Littleton, racist, racism , school choice, African American, Sidney Hook, evolution, and Mike Carrier.

Bottom line--good schools require work. Good schools do not just happen. We need good schools, if we are to have a good nation.