Well, that was quick.
For those not playing along, last Friday I posted an open letter to Christian Education Europe. Arthur Roderick replied almost by way of post.
Here’s his letter (click to enlarge).
UPDATE: On the advice of the author of jesusandmo.net, I have taken down Arthur Roderick’s letter. I was working on the assumption that, since I told him I would be posting my letter online, he would realise that I would post his, too. It occurs to me that this is not a watertight defence. Since it’s illegal to publish private letters without permission, I am trying to get his express consent. I apologise that the rest of this post makes much less sense without it. I will post an extra blog tomorrow to compensate for your undoubted misery.
In the meantime, since the author was so kind as to warn me that I was breaking the law, why don’t you check out one of his highly amusing (and highly relevant) comics:
I will reply, as I am grateful that Mr. Roderick took the time to reply to me at all, but it’s not a heartening response. I find it hard to engage with someone who provides anecdotes in response to criticisms of a science curriculum (By the way, if anybody out there truly loves me, buy me a T-shirt that says “The plural of ‘anecdote’ is not ‘data’”).
By my count, seven of the sentences in that letter actually respond to points I raised, and the rest is flannel.
I particularly object to the argument about his son being deprived of oxygen at birth. I’m very sad to hear this; I did not know. It is not of any relevance to my case, though, and rebutting that argument is difficult without looking like a heartless bastard.
But I’m not in the business of making myself popular with Creationists, so here goes.
Perhaps in an individual’s case, asking why a child is deprived of oxygen is futile. But it’s not futile in the case of science, or in the case of the hospital. Doctors should absolutely ask why the child is deprived of oxygen, to stop it from happening again. Can we make an advancement in medicine as a result of this? Is there an improvement in hospital procedure that would stop it happening again? Does someone need to be fired for negligence?
It’s the same in education. I am not, as Mr. Roderick to suggest, wallowing in misery about my past. I am happier than I have been at any point in my life before now. I am studying education because I enjoy it. I have seen a systematic failure of the educational process, and I want to see it fixed, for the good of future children.
Besides which, I didn’t ask for an explanation of what “happened to me.” I asked for an explanation of why ACE have been teaching misinformation and blatant falsehoods for decades, when the arguments they presented have never been valid, and when the foundation for these falsehoods is a corruption of the scientific method. The response? “ACE has no problem with the scientific method.” No argument. Just an asserted denial, and the matter is dropped.
As for my mother, well, since you ask, she is a hero. She has shown phenomenal strength of character and admitted that she was wrong. She has taken responsibility for the decision to send me to that school, and posted a comment on this very blog, saying:
“As a recovering fundamentalist myself, I never cease to be horrified at the information given in this blog, even though Jonny and I have discussed these matters often and in depth. I want it on record that I bitterly regret sending Jonny to an ACE school (the reasons for which are complex) and reject its teaching entirely. Jonny has done a magnificent job processing the experience and if this blog helps to expose the system and prevent what he suffered happening to other children, then it is a job well done.”
That’s a shining example compared with the intellectual cowardice of the providers of Accelerated Christian Education, who have never once provided meaningful responses to valid criticisms of their curriculum. I suspect this is because they have none. When you’ve sacrificed for several decades to make something happen, you’re probably not going to be in a rush to admit that what you achieved might have been harmful.
I have the McDowell book he mentions out of the library at the moment, as it happens. It would be better titled Evidence That Demands a Refund.
Related posts:
Instead of A-levels I studied the International Baccalaureate. Although the program is in-depth, well taught and difficult it is not very highly valued by grading bodies in the UK (to get into Oxbridge you need ~42/45 whilst Yale will happily have you with ~35/45). As such despite probably receiving a better education than most of my A-level brethren I only got into University by the skin of my teeth.
Similarly, someone receiving ACE might get an overall worse education but if it is valued highly by the organisations which matter then the quality of the education would be irrelevant. Is changing this high on your agenda?
Changing which, the quality of ACE or institutional perception of it?
Well, both. I don’t think ACE is highly regarded by institutions. All they know is Naric’s (absurd) recommendation, so I’m trying to get that revoked. I would like to see a public awareness of what ACE actually is. I keep thinking about posting scans of large sections of the material so people can see for themselves, but it would be harder to claim fair use is I were quoting that extensively.
As for improving the quality of the ACE curriculum, I think that’s a worthwhile (if not utterly futile) goal. If I can’t get it banned, I can at least stop them teaching ridiculous falsehoods.
The latter. Ultimately how the institutions perceive it is important (although I don’t deny raising awareness etc. is too).
I am lost for words, almost. I think there’s a defence mechanism at play. It’s almost like he’s making it obvious that you can’t get through to him, hoping that in future people won’t bother to challenge his thinking at all. Unfortunately, it probably works a lot of the time. I shouldn’t single him out, I guess it’s applicable to anybody bogged down by religious dogma.
I admire what you’re doing Jonny, keep at it.
I’m glad it’s not just me. Thanks for the encouragement, Joe. Letters like that are pretty discouraging.
Yeah, Roderick is actually a victim of his own faith. He was probably indoctrinated just like he now indoctrinates, and as memes go, it’s a hard one to break. You know, “If you were taught that elves caused rain, every time it rained, you’d see the proof of elves.”
Jonny, pass on my admiration for your mother to her.
Thank you! I will. She reads this blog closely, so I’m pretty sure she’ll see your comment too.