A Few Words on Valuing Education, Intellectual Attainment, and Science, and the Role of Religion

In the United States education is primarily provided by state and local governments rather than the federal government. Indeed, for many U.S. states, education is the largest budget item. Nonetheless, federal contributions still are very large -- about 10.8% of the overall funding for primary and secondary education. At both the state and federal level ideological issues have intruded into the attempt to teach facts.

The preeminent example (but not the only example) is ideology of teaching "creationism," a non-scientific theory with no evidentiary basis and so one not grounded in fact. "Creationism" is an alternative, its advocates claim, to evolution.  The evidence supporting evolution is overwhelming. There is no scientific basis (and ipso facto no factual basis) to somehow "disbelieve" in evolution. Those who do disbelieve in evolution do so on religious grounds or, sometimes, because they do not understand evolution.  Evolution is not a religious theory. It is, indeed, a cornerstone of biology. Nonetheless, surveys show most Republicans believe in creationism, disbelieve in evolution, and want creationism taught in schools.

How could an ideological dogma be treated more important as fact? It betrays the conceit of anti-intellectualism.

And, indeed, many Republicans -- certainly not all --  have begun pandering to anti-intellectualism. They're spurred on by the anti-intellectual attitudes of the Tea Party, the rants or Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and the prominence of ignoramuses like Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman. Among other consequences of not valuing intellectual pursuits, the Republicans do not value education highly and have opposed high funding levels for public education.

Likewise, Republicans disfavor publicly funded scientific research in numerous areas, such as environmental and climate issues, and some criticize basic scientific research that lacks immediate application. Most important among these failures is the Republicans opposition to stem cell research -- an area where they oppose development of knowledge on purely ideological grounds --  yet understanding and using stem cells is crucial to biological and medical science.

The dogma behind "creationism," of course, is fundamentalist Christianity. Not surprisingly, Republicans also continue to seek public funding for religious education. Having been set back many times over the last 50 years in having religious practices followed or taught in schools, the mechanism de jure to publicly fund parochial schools is vouchers. This, indeed, is the only practical reason for vouchers (because otherwise there could be direct grant to private non-religious schools). Outside of education Republicans continue to mix religion with government, from placing copies of the ten commandments in courthouses and government offices, to beginning meetings with prayers, to allowing public facilities to be used for religious purposes.

The pernicious effect of putting religious belief into public education and giving it greater governmental imprimatur is reason enough for me not to vote Republican tomorrow (and to vote for Obama) ... as if I really need more reasons.

Part of this post appeared previously in my post Why I am Not a Republican and is posted here as part of my 2012 election series.