Sheffield Christian Free School

[Roger Stanyard]

The fundamentalists never give up! Looks like the battle will continue. A new free school is being proposed for Sheffield and it looks to be proposing to teach creationism as sound science. Called Sheffield Christian Free School its being backed by two member schools of the Christian Schools Trust, the CST itself and Sylvia Baker.

See http://www.sheffieldchristianfreeschool ... urriculum/

It's the same old names turning up again.

[Michael]

You beat me by 22 minutes! Will delete my post

[cathy]

I'm finding it very difficult not to say exactly what I think of these people . Another waste of time and taxpayers money and more work for all the non creationist agencies warning Gove. Hopefully this one is too overt to get as far as ECC? But I'd bet it'll be a much better funded attempt and if sobbing Sylvia (from what I could gather when she was on that Sunday morning programme her whole rationale for teaching creationism was 'ooh I talked rubbish at uni and people said ooh you're talking rubbish which is bullying me really boo hoo poor me-so lets teach children crap just in case one has parents who believe in crap like creationism') is involved may well have the big guns from TiS, C4ID and the Biblical Creation Society and spin offs involved.

Wonder if that is where Marc has been? He was showing an interest in all the free school stuff around ECC and he does produce creationist home school stuff. And I wonder if any US money and legal expertise might be involved this time? ECC was more of a lone church attempt CST are more established creationist loon schools, Sylvia Baker is well in with the creationist loon organisations and it would satisfy Goves plans to get private schools involved in free schools. Tho I think he was thinking of good private ones not creationist loon ones.

Do they not realise that what they are doing is NOT fair on the children involved?

As for Sylvia, she reckoned she was bullied for talking nonsense. Yet the original free school legislation tried to free up free schools from the requirement that state schools have to have anti bullying and equal opps policies in place. And I bet non creationist children wouldn't survive long in a creationist school, they certainly wouldn't survive long with McIntosh without some bullyilng and if CMI and Anderson are role models to be considered then heaven help them. The freedom from anti bullying policies may have been kicked out by the Lords tho.

[Michael]

Has anyone read sylvia Baker's Bone of Contention?

It is full of whoppers and she wouldnt correct them

So boo-hoo to her

[Brian Jordan]

Just for the recorf, this is what they say:

6. Will the SCFS curriculum include creationism?

Yes. Christianity has a clear and distinctive creation story which is relevant to all areas of the curriculum. We know that ’some people think differently‘ so we will be sure to give full weight to other views of the origins and purposes of life. Our science curriculum will be broad and well-balanced, looking at the assumptions, evidence and interpretations behind scientific theories. Michael Gove’s view that ‘teaching creationism is at odds with scientific fact’ will be taken into account. (Note: 80% of our pupils achieve GCSE grades A*-C in Science courses)

http://www.sheffieldchristianfreeschool.org.uk/faq/

[cathy]

Our science curriculum will be broad and well-balanced, looking at the assumptions, evidence and interpretations behind scientific theories. Michael Gove’s view that ‘teaching creationism is at odds with scientific fact’ will be taken into account. (Note: 80% of our pupils achieve GCSE grades A*-C in Science courses)

Pass me a bucket. So what they mean is seeing as how Gove has seen sense about creationist loon schools, we'll place unreasonable burdens of proof on the theory of evolution-you know the sort of level of proof that 2+2=4 wouldn't pass. We;ll ignore the limitations of creationism, ie that it has no evidence, is illogical and is peddled by liars like sobbing Sylv. Just in case the unrealistic burden of proof we apply to evolution isn't enough we'll fabricate some limitations-you know misrepresent a few anomolies or acceptable error levels or pretend birdlike prints are proof the Earth is 6000 years old and we farmed dinosaurs.

Oh we'll say paradigm a lot, and materialistic science even more and throw in a few Dawkins misquotes and a couple of dozen "we are just interpreting the evidence differently" by lying about it. And while we're at it lets use the old Dawkins is an atheist and he believes evolution therefore evolution is atheistic (I know a vegan biology teacher currently teaching evolution so I guess that means evolution is also anti meat eating). Then we'll say paradigm a few more times for good measure.

Then we'll get sobbing Sylv in to tell us how she was bullied for telling lies about dinosaurs and Andy McIntosh can come in and give us the abridged version of the second law of thermodynamics. You know, the one with all the inconvenient words like closed system, missing,so much neater without all those facts. And then I guess the plenary will be to say 20 paradigms and a hail mary.

And for RE we'll just alter the ninth commandment a bit to read tho shalt not tell lies UNLESS you are a creationist when it is ok cos you's lying for Jesus. And we can also ignore all the other times we find lying proscribed in the Bible.

[Dagsannr]

I was reading that site, against my better judgement, and something stood out:

Dr Arthur Jones, science and education consultant, often uses this challenging statistic in his lectures:

Unbelieving parents succeed in passing on their unbelief to almost 100% of their children.

Believing parents pass on their faith to barely 50% of their children (one believing parent, 25%)

Wow. There's hope for us yet

[Roger Stanyard]

I was reading that site, against my better judgement, and something stood out:

Dr Arthur Jones, science and education consultant, often uses this challenging statistic in his lectures:

Unbelieving parents succeed in passing on their unbelief to almost 100% of their children.

Believing parents pass on their faith to barely 50% of their children (one believing parent, 25%)

Wow. There's hope for us yet

Indeed. Arthur Jones is at the core of the creationist activist network in the UK and has been involved with Truth in Science since its inception.

Worked for Sylvia Baker in her private school and was consultant to the Christian Schools Trust. Just happens to be next door neighbour to Sylvia Baker in the village of Mottram where David Tyler also lives.

All three were signatories to the notorious 2002 Estelle Morris letter lobbying for freedom to teach creationism in state schools.

[Dagsannr]

I sent them a comment which echoed the infamous Flying Spaghetti Monster letter.

Afterall, it's only fair that they devote equal time to all origin hypothese.

[cathy]

Can you comment? Didn't see anywhere where that would be possible.

Does anyone live in or near Sheffield who could attend their next meetings?

Programme: Monday 21st November, 2011

Sheffield Christian Free School – The Proposal Unpacked
The SCFS Steering Group will give more detailed information on their proposal

World Views Compared
Arthur Jones will show why different world views affect the way people think, act and behave.

Refreshments will be served to give a time for questions and discussion.



TEACHER (CPD) TRAINING …TASTER DAY

3 March, 2012, 9.30am – 3.00pm,

Venue: Bethany School, Finlay Street, S3 7PS

Do you know about teaching using a Christian perspective? A day course designed for all teachers, classroom assistants, T.A.’s, students, in fact anyone involved in edcucation. The course will be run by David Freeman and the Highlight team.

HighLight is led by David Freeman and a team of experienced school leaders from both Christian and state schools, who wish to serve Christian leaders and teachers by offering ‘Keys’ – principles and practical help – to encourage and further equip them in their work with children and young people. HighLight aims to be a voice in this nation and other nations, speaking out to improve the lives of children and young people.

HighLight offer outstanding residential courses but they have agreed to give us a one-day taster course to inspire and challenge us. The Sheffield Christian Free School would want to use HighLight for their teacher training and this is a good opportunity to get to know the team and sample their material. We would hope to start recruiting from January 2013.

Use the Contact us page to register for this free event

Anyone heard of David Freeman and Highlight? I'm assuming by Christian they mean creationist.

[Brian Jordan]

World Views Compared
Arthur Jones will show why different world views affect the way people think, act and behave.

Ah, yes, "world views". Michael Reiss helped wedge that particular door open.
.

[Michael]

World Views Compared
Arthur Jones will show why different world views affect the way people think, act and behave.

Ah, yes, "world views". Michael Reiss helped wedge that particular door open.
.

No Michael wqas pointing out how fundamental this worldview malarky is to creationists. I get it thrown at me for not having a biblical worldview and that is why I am wrong. It needs to be understood and exposed as it is quite a good tool in recruiiting YECs.

[Roger Stanyard]

World Views Compared
Arthur Jones will show why different world views affect the way people think, act and behave.

Ah, yes, "world views". Michael Reiss helped wedge that particular door open.
.

Good grief - "Worldview" - straight out of American wingnuttery. Worldview is just another word for ideology. The fundies don't seem to comprehend that most people are not ideologues. Not least because we are educated to avoid that way of thinking.

[cathy]

It needs to be understood but it doesn't need to be espoused tho. And it doesn't take much understanding cos it is an inane argument in the case of creationism. Because world views, may affect the way you think, but haven't really altered any facts have they. Neither Arthur Jones nor Reiss seem inclined to consider that little nugget of information. And the facts are that creationists have yet to come up with one iota of evidence for the book of Genesis being a literal account, nor any science at all to support their inanities. Nor have they managed to come up with a single logical objection to all, or indeed any, of the evidence pointing to a 4.5 billion year old Earth and evolution. Nor have they managed to tell the truth!!!!!!!!

Those are facts whatever your world view. So just point out to creationists that they can have all the anti evolution world views they like but it doesn't make their arguments sound, it doesn't make the evidence against them go away and it doesn't provide them with any evidence for. And if they really have been recruited by it then they must be moronic.

So I guess the thrust of Arthurs talk will be world views-alter the way you think about....honesty. Creationism-it's for the differently honest.

Perhaps someone should point that out to Reiss as well before he makes any more suggestions about introducing special fact free lessons for people whose world view is factphobia lest we upset their fact free, dishonesty, Jesus loves the little liars paradigms. Cos I am sick to death of creationists covering up the fact they have nothing by just saying world view/paradigm/world view/paradigm/world view/paradigm/world view/paradigm on an endless loop!!!!!!!!!!!!! Creationism=its just trotting out the same meaningless words over and over again. Why don't they give some positive evidence for creationism or just shut up.

Why don't we all change our world views. Lets all choose our preferred date for the second world war to have started. Maybe the 90s so I can regale the kids with tales of rationing and my life as a spitfire pilot. And if those picky history teachers want to point out it wasn't in the 90s, I wasn't born for the real thing, and was never in a spitfire, well its just their world view cos they are stuck in their 39-45 paradigm. And I shall just ask were you there?

Creationists are driving me insane. And Reiss sympathising with the world view nonsense does as well. Tho I will wait and see if he comes out with anything more sensible on 4thought. He may do.

Oh and Michael next time they accuse you of not having a biblical world view ask them how many times the bible says do not lie? I think it may even suggest that God says don't lie in my name somewhere? Then ask who hasn't got a biblical world view. I think you may win that one. Not that they'll see it. They'll be too busy saying world view paradigm world view.

[Michael]

World Views Compared
Arthur Jones will show why different world views affect the way people think, act and behave.

Ah, yes, "world views". Michael Reiss helped wedge that particular door open.
.

Good grief - "Worldview" - straight out of American wingnuttery. Worldview is just another word for ideology. The fundies don't seem to comprehend that most people are not ideologues. Not least because we are educated to avoid that way of thinking.

Roger and Brian

The idea of Worldview s permaeates much of evangelical thinking and we need to understand it and especailly what they are saying and how it comes out in their attacks