Letters.

An Open Message For Public School Teachers

To all of you who are teaching now (or who have ever taught), may this long overdue message of deepest love and gratitude reach your listening ears.

In the years my family spent attending public schools, gratitude was expressed almost daily by my clear mother for all the teachers were teaching us that she couldn't teach us herself.

Teachers, you must hear it loud and clear in every state of our beloved America -- Thank you for what you gave and are giving to our children! You are making an inestimable contribution to the true substance of our great nation.

Thank you with all my heart.

--Louise Phelps Byers

Santa Barbara, Calif.

Evolution Is Scientific Fact

I don't usually write in response to readers' letters in magazines, but feel I must respond to George Schmidt ("Evolution Isn't Fact," December Church & State Letters).

Mr. Schmidt is obviously operating under the same misconception as creationists -- that evolution occurs is a theory. Stephen Jay Gould, not exactly a Darwinian evolutionist, puts it best when he states that evolution is as accepted as scientific fact as the one that says the Earth revolves around the sun. Therefore, Church & State is entirely justified in including the creationism v. evolution in schools debate in its articles.

But before Mr. Schmidt fires off a response, let me clarify. While evolution is a fact, the mechanism by which it occurs is not. Whether the driving force is natural selection, punctuated equilibrium, catastrophism, some other mechanism or a combination of any or all of them is open to debate. This is the theory of evolution (wrongly termed "philosophy" by creationists).

So evolution is correctly included in school curricula and creationism, a totally unscientifically based idea, is excluded. I will admit, though, that the distinction between the fact of evolution and the theories of its mechanics, science-based though they are, is too often not made clear by educators.

--P. A. Nichols

Upper St. Clair, Pa.

Evolution: Not A Philosophy

George Schmidt tells us that evolution is a philosophy (December Church & State Letters). Evolution is a theory born of long and intensive scientific investigation into the cosmic and terrestrial life of the universe.

As a theory, evolution may not be a proven fact, but its scientific probings and conclusions approach reason closely enough to be accepted as unproven fact.

Americans United is not only fighting for evolution in our schools, but perhaps more importantly, for the protection of American democracy against the inroads of the theocracy of creationism's advocates.

--Edward Kleinbaum

Wappinger, N.Y.

Just Like Gravity

George Schmidt gives the impression that he is confused about the difference between evolution and creationism (December Church & State Letters). Evolution is not just a theory, it is a fact as well. Just like gravity is a fact, scientifically proven every time you drop something.

Does Mr. Schmidt want the schools to teach creation science or scientific creationism (both are oxymorons) to our children? Did he say that evolution is a philosophy? Get real, we are entering the 21st century, not the 12th.

Some scientific facts are difficult to comprehend or even accept for most people, like the idea that we descend from our cousins, the apes. No wonder most of act like a bunch of monkeys!

--Henry Farber

Van Nuys, Calif.

Dobson's `Twilight Zone'

James Dobson lives in Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" if he thinks public school teachers should introduce religious concepts to their children ("Teachers Should Fight School `Secularism,' Dobson Magazine Urges," People & Events, November Church & State).

The public schools are required to accept students from all religious backgrounds, as well as those who do not profess any religion. Any parent would be angry if a public school teacher introduced religious concepts contrary to the family's religious beliefs.

Dobson's idea is the best way to resurrect the religious fratricide wars of the Reformation, and it is what plagues the Middle East, Bosnia, Iraq and India today.

Religious concepts do have a place in schools with names such as St. Elizabeth's School, Holy Trinity School, Beth Israel Yeshiva or Sunni Islamic School. Religious schools are the places where religious concepts should be taught.

I taught social studies in the New York City high schools for over 30 years. I taught about religion. That is quite permissible. If I attempted to conduct a prayer session using the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary or any other prayer, a giant horde of apoplectic parents would want my head on a platter because they believed that they should control their children's religious education.

Dobson and his ilk have forgotten a famous quote: "Render unto Caesar...."

--Louis A. Carrubba

Staten Island, N.Y.

Church & State welcomes letters to the editor. Although not all correspondence can be published, readers' opinions are appreciated. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all letters for brevity and clarity.