David Harsanyi On the Texas Science Decision

David Harsanyi of the Creator's Syndicate is asking us why we fear to have our treasured understandings critiqued in school. He writes:

Why are so many allegedly tolerant and science-loving Americans aghast at the notion that their beliefs will be scrutinized in schools? Are school systems reflections of the population's diverse viewpoints or places of political control? Should school boards shut down debate on a topic that millions of Americans still disagree on?

Until we jettison the antiquated one-size-fits-all public education system, the majority of students will endure some seemingly preposterous objections to fact, useless sex and/or abstinence programs, historical textbooks that are mockeries of history, and/or truly questionable science employed for ideological purposes.

The problem that I have is the idea that a small, uneducated minority is taking the entire enterprise hostage because they have the support of a large chunk of the equally uneducated public. The only way to get that public educated is to teach them good science. Having said that, I agree with him about the public schools.