Did anyone else get a reply from Dr. Brendan Nelson?

[Champion_Munch]

There was a thread a couple of months ago in BABB about Intelligent Design in Australia, and several of us posted messages to Dr. Brendan Nelson, the Minister for Education in Australia - who advocates Bush's ID wishes - via a website form.

I didn't actually expect to get a reply, but one showed up in my inbox today (obviously not from the man himself, someone apparently replying on 'his behalf' ;)).

I have no idea whether I'm allowed to post the contents of what was sent here, so I'll only say some of the major points in it:

* Evolution (like other scientific ideas) isn't foolproof, but it's subject to testing. Creationism does not undergo empirical testing, therefore it is not a scientific idea.

* ID can be taught as part of a religious education in schools

* State/Territory education authorities are responsible for school curriculum issues, not the Australian Government

So, basically what they're saying is that it shouldn't be taught alongside evolution in schools, despite what the original article claimed:

The controversial theory of "intelligent design" has won the qualified backing of Education Minister Brendan Nelson, who says it should be taught in schools alongside evolution if that is the wish of parents.


But if they wanna teach it as part of religious education, that's fine with me. :)

with regards

[EvilBob]

Since you mentioned it, I checked my (appropriately enough) Junk Mail folder and yes, there it was. They must have done a bulk mailing... About what I expected, says basically nothing, and takes a whole page to do it!
Oh well. At least we registered our opposition - that's about the best we can do for now...

[ausduck1]

I'm glad that you all sent off messages to Dr Nelson, his comments certainly did cause quite a bit of "hey, hang on a minute!" outcry, especially amongst those of us who like to excercise a bit of critical thinking. I think the NSW Teacher's Federation summed up the position of educators quite well on their site:

http://www.nswtf.org.au/edu_online/75/pres.html
(one wonders if this and other articles and comments like it have prompted the mass, almost damage control, reply)

As for a govt bulk mail taking a page to say nothing - remember you are dealing with the purveyors of weasel words and advocates of the death of the sentence ! :D
ID as part of religious teaching - that's ok, even I have no problem with that. But lumping it in the science curriculum in state/non-religious or non-christian affiliated schools I do have a problem with, least of all considering the supposed separation of church and state - but that's a whole other topic!