Mary Morris

Writer

The topic of creationism versus evolution has been in debate for decades. Religion and science just don’t seem to be able to get along. As the Huffington Post reports debates over repealing Louisiana’s Science Education Act, I have found myself vying for the incorporation of creationism in education.

While I am not the best at attending church or abiding by religious ritual, I don’t see the problem with teaching creationism alongside evolution in schools. In my opinion, education should provide students with information from all perspectives so that individuals can be well-rounded and develop their own beliefs.

We can argue that creationism is not science or that science is ignorant of religion, but I don’t think that is the point of teaching one or the other. Some people believe that God created all things in seven days and we all stem from Adam and Eve. Some people believe that creatures developed through survival of the fittest and Darwinian theory. Others believe in a hybrid of the two theories, that God created evolution. The point is not who is right and who is wrong; the point is to be open to different perspectives and to respect each other for those perspectives.

The education system is responsible for developing the knowledge and decision-making skills of young students. If we choose to censor certain perspectives, then we are limiting students’ abilities to be open-minded and to think for themselves. Just as both Democratic and Republican philosophies on government are taught in the classroom, creationism and evolution should also be given the same treatment.