So Much for Progress: Anti-Science Bias Remains Strong As Ever

NASA/Getty Images

About thirty years ago, just under half of all American adults believed Genesis requires a rejection of evolutionary theory.  Today, the number is . . . basically the same.  Here's the lament from a disappointed scientist.

And here's a follow up round table about why "creationism" is so controversial.

Teaching Is Quickly Becoming a Creative, Tech-Savvy Profession

Fast Company

Fast Company is celebrating back to school week by highlighting two apps that let teachers remix lessons like DJ's.  OpenCurriculum and Activate Instruction are just two of the many web resources altering what it means to "teach."

Common Core Causes a Dip in Student Scores (And That's a Good Thing)

Fred Conrad/NTTimes

Here in Fort Scott, as in many places, there is growing anxiety about the adoption and implementation of the Common Core curriculum and testing.

In New York, an early adopter of the Common Core, this year's tests along Common Core guidelines sent student scores into the tank.

That will happen here in Fort Scott, too.  And that's scary to some, because scores aren't great to begin with.  But Common Core is the right direction - a uniform set of expectations that are more rigorous and better reflect the kinds of skills young people need in a competitive economy.

Philosophy, Men, and (very few) Women

Gaston de Cardenas/NY Times

The NYT has a story about this University of Miami philosophy professor forced to resign for (allegedly) Anthony-Weiner-ing his female grad student.  His blog arguments that he was just trying to teach her to become a better philosopher didn't work.  And bonus, we discover a really great blog title: What Is It Like to be a Woman in Philosophy?