To think this person should not be a biology teacher?

[baublegirl454]

My son is yr 8, and had had concerns about his biology teacher for a while. She has often been totally unprepared for their lessons so they are told to just read from their textbooks, she can't use the whiteboard & often sets incomprehensible homework or on subjects that they haven't studied yet. She is new, so we hoped these were just teething issues and would improve. Howe er, DS came home on Friday and announced that she has said that she doesn't believe in Evolution and (I quote) 'I don't believe an explosion (I.e. The Big Bang) could create a house'
WTF????
Would we be unreasonable to approach the school about this?!

Cross post. Academy. Gotcha

It is a state grammar school. She believes that God created everything as per the Bible

Are you sure she's an actual biology qualified teacher, and bit just someone they've got in to teach biology iyswim?

I was just wondering if she isn't actually a qualified biology teacher. It sounds like she's having problems with the curriculum. I'd definitely ask the head of biology or head of science about what's going on.

This is the problem with academies, there are no laws governing them and they do not have to follow the national curriculum. I'd be looking for a different school.

Sorry, have I misunderstood? If it's not an academy then I'd be having words with the head.

If I were you, I'd speak directly to the teacher to clarify what she actually said. If it is true, then speak to the head immediately.

This is appalling.

I am sure academies do have to follow the NC and are subject to Ofsted.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who doesn't believe in evolution is a properly qualified biology teacher and I would definitely be raising it further.

I knew someone doing a natural sciences (bio) degree at Cambridge who didn't believe in evolution for religious reasons. I too found it mind-boggling, but they got their degree and I guess are therefore perfectly well 'qualified' to teach biology if they wanted to.

My Physics teacher was also head of RE. Can you imagine?

But you can teach RE without being religious.

I'd be seriously questioning the school about this.

And SpeakNoWords, of course the world is flat and carried by 4 elephants on the back of a giant turtle.

She really shouldn't be talking about anything to do with her beliefs so I would definitely raise this with the head of department or form teacher depending on what you feel is most appropriate. Having said that, I've worked in schools where teachers are quite happy to talk about what they believe and laugh at the idea of people believing other things, which I found really shocking.

I agree with restless. I'd also point out that not only is her science dodgy, so is her understanding of religion - according to the Pope at least! www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/28/pope-says-evolution-and-creation-both-right

Definitely, definitely complain!! Even the Pope has spoken in support of the Big Bang and evolution....

Sorry - X-post with fatoldbag there...

I am sure academies do have to follow the NC

Nope. They can teach what they like. They are still subject to the same national testing requirement as other schools though, so in reality follow the curriculum for subjects that will be tested.

I present the creation story from the Bible as one set of ideas (and teach other creation stories as part of a term's topic work) and the theory of evolution as another set of ideas.

Hopefully not as two sets of ideas with equal weighting though.

Academies don't have to follow the NC, however as far as I know, state schools in England are not allowed to teach Creationism whether they are faith schools, maintained schools or academies. Any academy that does can have it's funding removed by the government.

And if the school chose not to do anything about it I think I would rather withdraw my child to be honest!

I don't think people who don't understand evolution (not willing to put believe since it's not a matter of faith) should be permitted to teach Science. Frankly I'm not sure someone with that lack of critical thinking should teach.

Unfortunately I recon a big percentage of Science teachers don't (at least 10% in my area). Ironically its most common amongst Biology teachers.

As others have said, this is not a religious thing. This view is rare amongst Christians and it isn't an inherent component of any major religion. Sometimes its a cultural thing, often its an idiot thing.

Approach the school. YANBU.

If queen teaches in Louisiana, I'm sure I read somewhere that state.law requires both evolution and creationism to be given equal weight in schools.

You might be right, garden.

It must make it a bit difficult to teach genetics and antibacterial resistance if you don't believe in evolution.

Depends which religion a person is religious about, GardenGeek. Not all religions espouse Creationism. Some gods wouldn't have the slightest interest in creating a universe.

Anyway, I came on here to make the comment that when I had a bone to pick with DS3's school, a state school which had recently become an academy, I discovered that the only person I could complain to was the Secretary of State! It was about them not following their Discipline Policy, so a slightly different area, but if your discussions with Head of Department, Head of KS3 and Head Teacher don't get you anywhere...

Xposted Donquixote!

In RS in our school the creation stories from the main religions, and then the Big Bang theory are studied by Year 7s. I'm assuming that's what Queen is referring to?

I've no idea on the OP but I struggle to believe a 12/13 year old child has a better understanding of how to teach than a Head of Department and other members of SLT at the school he's at.... but hey, maybe he's an Ofsted inspector in the making shrugs