Science Education and America’s Culture Wars

I have been invited to give a talk to the San Diego Secular Humanist Outreach (SDSHOUT) group next month on the issue of science and religion in American education. I will be focusing specifically on the textbook as a particularly interesting site of contention for Conservative Christians. I will begin by briefly examining the recent (2005) lawsuit by the Association of Christian Schools International against the University of California for the latter’s rejection of course curriculum from Christian schools as insufficient college preparation (ACSI vs. Stearns). From there I will review, beginning with Scopes, the long and fierce “battle of the books” that has been waged in the United States over the past 90 years and has become a major feature of the so-called culture wars.

Of course, if you are in the San Diego area then you should drop by.

Here is the official announcement:

On Saturday, June 12th, San Diego Secular Humanist Outreach will present a currently relevant lecture by James A. Tracy entitled Battle of the Books: Science Education and America’s Culture Wars. Tracy is a doctoral candidate at UCSD whose research deals with the history of evolution and creationism, the politics of public education and evolution in the US, and science education and conservative Christian movements. He is an active member of Rational Thought, the secular students association on campus, and also serves currently as a teaching assistant there.

The lecture will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in the Harbor Room at the County Health Services Complex at 3851 Rosecrans Street in the Old Town / Midway area. A question and answer and discussion session will follow.