back on the show today is Zack Kopplin he's a science education activist
working on a campaign for evidence-based science to be taught in science class
and a reinvestment in science funding Zack great to have you back
on you've been doing some really really great work let's talk a little bit about
where's your focus being
%uh lately a David thanks to Lee
were trying to expand for not just elves or
teaching evolution teach about science fighting sized album
also game they're really doing some positives for science so fighting for
science funding to be replaced after this quest to fight for what we're such
funding
and that's really where i'm looking to now be on
just the greatest excellent so
let's talk about some recent individual decisions that have happened not to
delve too much into it there was a ball State University ban
on teaching intelligent design in science class is the last time you were
on the show we talked about
decisions made even at the parish level in louisiana
about what can and can't be too high broadly speaking
is the weight set to teach good science
for individual universities are school districts to make these type of the up
decisions
or is it a little risky to depend on that so
all-state is that a teacher was teaching
what look like intelligent design as a science course
and it was a public university and investigation got launched
and wall we don't know exactly what the results for the course are yet
it does look like the right decision was made by the inverse see where the
president came out said that
purse and we firmly understand and
agree that tells the site is not science and should not be taller science
and self is being taught science that fixing that and so
were I've we're very happy with the result that
as far as we can tell I sense that this isn't so then I guess that the kinda the
park to the question is
what's the best way to ensure that science
is actually science when it's being taught in a science class does it come
down
indeed can we really rely on individual educational institutions organizations
to make these calls
and if not what other choices exist I don't see that the
you know the second part I don't think other choices exist
from and so I mean you the only way to educate students
is in the classrooms when I I mean
you get you learn some wonderful but if with our system you go to school you
learn in school
you ever future is make sure
at what's being taught what we real sites and
that's a problem in america because sixty percent size teachers
don't teach evolution the weights must be taught this I'm counting
want to teach creationism which makes number a lot higher things
30 percent more who teach creations on top
went and so we haven't really gotten to the point we need
when it comes to making sure these institutions local schools
are teach teach evolution and I do a separate
high school and university be seen if it will get University
the problem happens a lot less when you actually involves
the beer cool
als evolution biology when you get western guess the college
after that they won't be prepared or science classes
and will likely either drop them was struggling them
and that while and with a high from where we need the future
no question about it the other thing also is
um how much power if any do individual parents have on either side of this in
other words when these controversy seemed to start individual schools or
universities or whatever the case may be
certainly their parents who want for example a
intelligent design creationism it's hot in science classes in their parents who
don't does it matter
at all what individual parents think or what about this or do the seem to be
issues that are really only address that a higher love it actually hit batters
incredibly well individual parents
think about all this and so you see
I give the sixty percent size teachers are teaching evolution step
and par that comes from the fact that may the teachers are intimidated by
parents who might complain the prayer school the
by its ok it's like they're fast or students by five so there's
there's a lot of pressure from individuals on the SUP
on the side against where I'm going where you can with parents want every
day
the teachers on the other hand if a teacher is teaching creationism
and yours any and speaking to all the parents out there who might have a
student
and whether the school
it for all it's one says mom they taught me there six thousand years old
or mom be taught me that that was just happen or rations in israel or whatever
the teacher might have taught the couple would say that
you can immediately respond go to the principal you can or you can just
you can call the ACLU and same ice might child was talk creations
the matter or willpower at that point to stop
that because the Constitution is on your side decides on your side
and they your son your or your kid should not be taught that schools
so in fact if if parents do indeed
have such influence over this really what we need is to be educating parents
heredity and maybe even educating them before their parents because if you go
into parenting if you go into putting your kid in school
already being aware of what isn't is in science wouldn't we be well served by
I just abroad kinda a education campaign
on issues of science yes and that such as parents
that students can you be educated because the first barrier to really
challenging
inflation's is a student knowing that
the rights are being violated and many students
don't know I say that when you talk racism that's wrong
that they should be taught that and so they might not know that
if they know that they might not disagree they might appreciate learning
which is another issue
if you don't use in the science
NYU when a teacher tells you they're the successors all where you disagree
and say that's a bad thing if you don't know it and then
if we get over that you those two barriers you might
not know you might not be brave enough to fight this kind of thing
know the social pressure know the reactions from other parents of the
students
towards you and then and if we get over those them
with what I which is what you do is not an easy thing to figure out how you take
our
these issues so you get your talk races how to protest
your principle with your principal says will stop complaining
that they're like to do that but then were it's a
it's hard to know especially as a kid how to fight this
and so by accepts how to
had US its if you talk creationism go call the ACLU
all Americans United for separation of church and state call the National
Center for Science Education or send me an email
my emails online I website and we will all
get start up fighting that with your or help you fight that
and that's real you you get in contact with people who haven't taken on these
issues
and to this to really bring it to court and that's a lessor
that that's the answer or.org a protester at your school board
publicly go send email to your apartment education
about this that's not the way to do this that and
you have to go because you can't just go directly to the teacher to teach
gracias so they have the the power dynamic certainly
make this very very complicated even for students like you mentioned my view
where other
we've been speaking with Zack Kopplin is a science education activist he's
working on a campaign for evidence-based science to be taught in science class
Zack great as always to talk to you and will definitely check in with you again
thanks so much time yeah it's great to be out