British Centre for Science Education

British Centre for Science Education

The British Centre for Science Education (BCSE) is a volunteer-run organization in the United Kingdom that has the goal of "countering creationism within the UK" [According to the logo on the [http://bcseweb.org.uk/index.php/Main/HomePage website of the BCSE.] ] and was formed to campaign against the teaching of creationism in schools.cite journal |last=Graebsch |first=Almut |coauthors=Schiermeier, Quirin |date = November 23, 2006 |title=Anti-evolutionists raise their profile in Europe |journal=Nature |volume=444 |pages=406–407 |accessdate= 2007-07-28 |doi=10.1038/444406a] [ [http://www.assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc07/EDOC11297.htm "The dangers of creationism in education"] , Report, Committee on Culture, Science and Education, Rapporteur: Mr Guy LENGAGNE, France, Socialist Group, Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe, Doc. 11297, 8 June 2007.]

Activities

The BCSE has been operating since the summer of 2006. Its appearance was noted by the American National Center for Science Education in a news article on November 2, 2006. [ [http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2006/XX/961_creationism_news_from_around_t_11_2_2006.asp "Creationism news from around the world"] , National Center for Science Education, November 2, 2006.]

The BCSE protested when the prominent intelligent design group Truth in Science sent information packs to every UK secondary school in September, 2006. BCSE estimated that TiS had, at that point, spent around £116,000, including employment of a full-time administrator.cite news |first=James |last=Randerson |title=Who are Truth in Science? |url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,1958148,00.html |publisher= The Guardian|date= November 27, 2006 |accessdate= 2007-07-28] In a letter to the editor, published in the Financial Times, Ian Lowe of BCSE expressed concern that creationism could possibly flourish even in Britaincite news |first=Ian|last=Lowe |title=Creationism has no place in classrooms |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/33e9de02-60a1-11db-a716-0000779e2340.html| work = Letter to the Editor |publisher= Financial Times|date= October 21, 2006 |accessdate= 2007-07-28] ; while Mike Brass, chairman of BCSE, said in a letter to "The Guardian", "intelligent design (ID) is creationism dressed up in a tux to sneak into our science classrooms."cite news |first=Mike |last=Brass |title=Creationism in the classroom |url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,1975176,00.html |publisher= The Guardian|date= December 19, 2006 |accessdate= 2007-07-28] They were even mentioned in an "Early Daily Motion" in Parliament introduced by MP Graham Stringer. [ [http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=31313 "SCIENCE EDUCATION"] , Graham Stringer, Member of Parliament, Early Day Motion 2708, 11.10.2006]

The BCSE features a website on which it tracks leading creationists and creationist organizations, particularly those active in the United Kingdom. Short descriptive articles appear on each. Essays, news and reports of pro-evolution government lobbying are also featured on the website.

Criticism and controversy

The appearance of the BCSE has been met with hostility by the main promoter of intelligent design, the Discovery Institute. In particular, Discovery Institute fellow William Dembski has written disparagingly of the BCSE on his blog, "Uncommon Descent". [ [http://www.uncommondescent.com/science/the-british-centre-for-science-education-unmasked/ "The British Centre for Science Education unmasked"] , William Dembski, Uncommon Descent Blog, 23 October 2006.] Also, the Discovery Institute website's news feature, "Evolution News and Views" suggests that the BCSE is closely associated with the National Center for Science Education and the British Humanist Association [ [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/10/hypocrisy_in_the_british_indep.html "British Press Engages in Selective Motive Mongering"] , Casey Luskin, "Evolution News and Views, Discovery Institute, October 28, 2006.] [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/11/who_is_writing_antiid_articles.html "Who is writing anti-ID articles in the UK?"] , Casey Luskin, "Evolution News and Views, Discovery Institute, November 4, 2006.]

References

External links

* [http://bcseweb.org.uk/index.php/Main/HomePage BCSE official website]
* [http://community.bcseweb.org.uk/ British Centre for Science Education forums]


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