PE01764: Include evolutionary studies within the primary school curriculum

Education

Petitioner: James Robertson on behalf of Families in Support of Evolutionary Studies

Status:
Closed

Date Lodged: 27 November 2019

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to add evolutionary studies to the primary school curriculum. 

 

 

Petition History:

SPICe briefing (129KB pdf) 

Summary

5 December 2019: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report of Meeting 5 December 2019

10 September 2020: The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 of Standing Orders on the basis that the Scottish Government does not agree with the action called for in the petition but will contact Education Scotland’s Senior Education Officers to advise them of the petition, to help improve teachers’ understanding and confidence in science and religious and moral education. Link to the Official Report of Meeting 10 September 2020

Written submissions

PE1764/A: Scottish Government submission of 13 January 2020 (99KB pdf)

Do you think children who have no religious beliefs are represented within the school curriculum?

Do you agree with the statement that by including the study of evolution within primary schools, we can teach all children about the world we share with all living things and how we are connected?

I think primary school teachers are expected to teach far too much and this will just add to their burden of teaching and reporting. We need to get back to the basics so that children leave primary school being able to read and count. We also need to stop all the formal testing and reporting which takes so much time away from teaching. A Scottish education used to be something to be proud of. Now because of interference by so called experts who know nothing about teaching (curriculum for excellence being a prime example ) Scottish education is one of the poorest in the Europe.

Morag McCallum

6:16 on 26 Oct 2019

While aware that some schools are introducing this subject into the syllabus, it is too important to be squeezed into the teaching. It should stand alongside other scientific teachings

Ian M Rodger

22:58 on 23 Oct 2019

Science, facts and history should not be distorted. Even some religious families may want the science taught to their children.

Hannah Morris

18:14 on 23 Oct 2019

Maths, history and anything factual should be taught in schools. There should be no room for hypothesis such as creatism

Colin Downes

17:35 on 20 Oct 2019

There is now a live petition by James Robertson on behalf of Families in Support of Evolutionary Studies which Edinburgh Secular Society is pleased to endorse. It proposes to teach primary school children about evolutionary science in addition to important learning about world religions. While religious creation myths have poetic and metaphorical value they of course contain no literal truth. Far from being nihilistic, an understanding of the beautiful principles of evolution can be the very foundation of a meaningful life as, free from the distracting belief that purpose is given by a supernatural being, we can set out to define our own and in doing so, maximise every moment of our brief and lucky existences.

Neil Barber

11:25 on 20 Oct 2019

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