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Dawkins warns of school science teachers' creationist conundrum

Posted on 3rd April 2008

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Science teachers in independent schools are becoming increasingly concerned by the number of pupils who believe in creationism, it has been claimed.

Creationists dismiss the big bang theory and instead assert that the earth was created entirely by god, and Richard Dawkins, a staunch believer in the theories of Darwin, suggests that this is causing problems for teachers.

"It is a very worrying trend, and I think a lot of it has come over from America and Australia," he said in a debate held as part of this year's 20th anniversary Edinburgh International Science Festival, the Scotsman reports.

"I have spoken to a lot of science teachers in schools here in Britain who are finding an increasing number of students coming to them and saying they are Young Earth creationists.

"Now this is a belief that the Earth is only 6000 years old, and it is such a staggering mistake that it is very concerning to hear this. It is no small error - it is equivalent to someone believing, despite the evidence, that the width of North America from one coast to the other is only 7.8 yards."

Dawkins, the author of books including best-seller The God Delusion, was debating God, Religion and Science with former Bishop of Edinburgh Richard Holloway.
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