Bill Nye and the Importance of Science Education

Why should I embrace science education? Like most people, I’ve struggled with that question. I was on the verge of despair when fortunately Bill Nye “The Science Guy” engaged in a high-profile debate with Ken Ham in order to defend the usefulness of understanding the world through scientific theories as opposed to interpretations of ancient creation myths. Before the debate, Nye stated the reason he was debating was, “For the United States to maintain its leadership in technology, we need well-educated science students.” To bring that point home, he summarized his position during the debate with these concluding remarks:

If we stop driving forward, stop looking for the next answer to the next question, we in the United States will be out-competed by other countries, other economies. Now that would be okay, I guess. But I was born here. I’m a patriot. And so we have to embrace science education.

So there it is. If you ever find yourself puzzled, like I was, as to why you should embrace science education, just remember that Bill Nye was born in the U-S-A!

An apparent corollary to Nye’s emphasis on the importance of what “voters and taxpayers” compel their children to learn is that Christian creationism is such an appealing position that if it were taught in schools along with science, students would never develop a love for science. The Genesis account is so compelling, Nye seems to believe, that if the children who are taught it as Truth at home are also exposed to it in a classroom, “our economic engine will slow and eventually stop”. Don’t let it happen, America.

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