A large, publicly funded charter school system in Texas is teaching creationism to its students, Zack Kopplin recently reported in Slate. Creationist teachers don’t even need to be sneaky about it—the Texas state science education standards, as well as recent laws in Louisiana and Tennessee, permit public school teachers to teach “alternatives” to evolution. Meanwhile, in Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, taxpayer money is funding creationist private schools through state tuition voucher or scholarship programs. As the map below illustrates, creationism in schools isn’t restricted to schoolhouses in remote villages where the separation of church and state is considered less sacred. If you live in any of these states, there’s a good chance your tax money is helping to convince some hapless students that evolution (the basis of all modern biological science, supported by everything we know about geology, genetics, paleontology, and other fields) is some sort of highly contested scientific hypothesis as credible as “God did it.”
Arizona: As many as 15 schools that teach creationism may be participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship program for disabled children or children attending underperforming schools. (Arizona has not released a list of private schools that have received students on this scholarship.)
Arkansas: Responsive Education Solutions operates two campuses in Arkansas that use creationist curricula. (See Texas.)
Colorado: At least eight schools in Douglas County teach creationism while participating in the Douglas County Scholarship Program.
Florida: At least 164 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship programs for disabled children and children from low-income families.
Georgia: At least 34 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship program for disabled children.
Indiana: At least 37 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s voucher program for children from low-income families.
Arizona: As many as 15 schools that teach creationism may be participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship program for disabled children or children attending underperforming schools. (Arizona has not released a list of private schools that have received students on this scholarship.)
Arkansas: Responsive Education Solutions operates two campuses in Arkansas that use creationist curricula. (See Texas.)
Colorado: At least eight schools in Douglas County teach creationism while participating in the Douglas County Scholarship Program.
Florida: At least 164 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship programs for disabled children and children from low-income families.
Georgia: At least 34 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s tax credit scholarship program for disabled children.
Indiana: At least 37 schools teach creationism while participating in the state’s voucher program for children from low-income families.