How were you taught it (in high school, specifically)?

With Education standards in the U.S. plummeting relative to progress in much of world, especially in math science, this popped to mind. I was just thinking about how in my high school biology class, we were taught evolution, and evolution alone, but with the disclaimer that my biology teacher admitting that he didn't personally believe in it and that it was "only a theory." (a term which evolution's detractors like to play around with, despite the fact that it's the same classification used for essentially all of physics, chemistry, biology, etc....none of which are taught as "only theories").

Now, I didn't attend some rural school out in the bible belt, but rather a wealthy, elite, politically-moderate prep school (non-religious) on the east coast. Five years after taking high school bio, it's simply baffling to me that a biology teacher could make comments like that and still be a biology teacher at my school.

Anyways, discuss your experience. Make sure the mention how long ago it was.
Also, what are your personal reviews relative to what you were taught?

I don't remember the Evolution "debate" (if you can call it that?) being a big thing when I was going to school in the early 1990s. It may have been mentioned once or twice by my teacher, who obviously rejected it.

I wasn't taught it. It's not very important or relevant to a high school education. The time could better be used teaching students math and physics.

That's not to say that it was hidden from us or anything. I mean it was not part of a course that you'd study about it, but the teachers very probably mentioned evolution in passing from time to time. We were all aware of it and it was treated as an accepted, normal part of science, but taught it and studying it? No.

There's lots of worthwhile things in science that high schools don't get around to and shouldn't waste too much time with. HS is for drilling in the basics.

Edit: Definitely nobody mentioned creationism or would have taken it seriously.

I was taught both.

I don't remember creationism even being mentioned when I was in High School in Richmond Virginia in the late 70s. I'm sure if it had, I would have made a stink (I was a loud mouth troublemaker in school, and I liked arguing with the teachers).

I don't know if it has changed since then, though.

Neither Evolution or Creationism were taught to me when i was in highschool in the late 90s.

I went to a Catholic HS, and we were taught evolution exclusively, without any disclaimers.

I taught myself evolution and everything else I know about science. Never paid attention in school.

Just came across this:

I did, and Creationism never came up. We were taught science in science class, thank goodness. That was 20 years ago, though, so maybe things have changed since then. The Creationists hadn't yet really figured out how to weasel their way into science teaching yet.

I wonder if Palin supports abstinence-only education, or if she thinks we should teach both and, you know, not be afraid of information.

Hopefully she supports teaching abstinence and safe sex, as it should be.

As it should be? You do know that McCain is an abstinence-only supporter, don't you? I'd be very very very surprised if Palin, who is at least as socially right-wing as McCain, didn't share his view.

I'm aware.

Just because I support McCain doesn't mean I agree with everything the man says or supports.

Not that I ever believed it, but I thought you claiming to be on the fence.

I am, why? There are goods and bads to each candidate, and the issue is deciding which ones are most important to me. Abstinance education ranks toward the bottom of that list.

I've only covered creationism in philosophy courses. I learned nothing about it when I went to Catholic elementary school and the same was true in public high school.

Good.

Evolution only, but with a disclaimer (It's only a theory and there are others)

The teacher concentrated on evolution, but also reminded us over... and over... and over... and over, "There are billions of people who believe in creationism!" This teacher also had a Jesus fish on her car.

I'm an atheist and believe 100% in evolution.

Your teacher sounds wholly unqualified to teach science.

What can you do? I had a Chinese woman teaching Spanish and an American man teaching Japanese.

Somewhat reassuring from Palin:

"I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."

She added that, if elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add such creation-based alternatives to the state's required curriculum.

She's anti-science but not as crazy as the Christianist base. That's something.

Anti-science because she believes in creationism?

Yes. If you believe in YEC, then you reject virtually every known science, the scientific method, and reason. You might as well believe in the sun orbiting the earth or a flat earth, as those have about as much scientific validity as YEC does.

I'm not talking about belief in God (which I do), which is arational (cannot be proved or disproved), but a belief in origins that is DIRECTLY contradicted by the evidence.