On Texas Science Textbooks and the Fake Dinosaur/Human Footprint Fossil of Alvis DelkSomervell County Salon-Glen Rose, Rainbow, Nemo, Glass....Texas


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On Texas Science Textbooks and the Fake Dinosaur/Human Footprint Fossil of Alvis Delk
 


10 August 2008 at 12:04:36 PM
salon

that Carl Baugh of the Creation Evidence Museum owns now and has recently done a PR on to the local papers.

So, your kid is reading his or her science textbook and comes across a picture of this footprint as a credible artifact. Maybe there wouldn't be much in the way of challenging Mr Baugh's *evidence* that humans and dinosaurs are both proven by that footprint. And suppose there simply wasn't time, because every kid was mercilessly getting prepped for yet another TAKS test, to explain why it doesn't really belong in a science book at all except for an example of PT Barnum's theorum.  One of the commenters to this site, Ed Darrell from Millard Fillmore's Bathtub, suggested that Mr Baugh is wanting to take that fossil to the Texas Board of Education and get it put into Texas school textbooks. Pah!

Creationists continue to push for *intelligent design* to be taught with equal weight of the evolution theory, and Texas is not exception. What's different here than in some other places is that the school board president, dentist Don McElroy, doesn't believe in evolution, does in creationism, and wants to change textbooks to point out the weaknesses that HE believes in. And thus, Carl Baugh sees an opening for his fake fossil.

“I don’t think it is going to displace the theory of evolution,” said Baugh. “My hope is that the scientific concepts of archeology and paleontology will be used under the guidelines of the Texas schoolbook committee. Any evidence supporting that should be presented, and hopefully this particular fossil will be presented, for the students to be able to see that there is evidence supporting an alternative concept as opposed to just evolution.”

And he may find a willing audience in McElroy, who also believes that the Bible is inerrant. From the Texas Observer

McLeroy expressed frustratation over the defeat of the state board’s conservative faction in 2003 over “Teaching the Controversy,” putting ID in Texas’ biology textbooks. “All the arguments made by all the Intelligent Design group, all the creationists, ID people, I can guarantee the other side heard exactly nothing, they did not hear one single fact, they were not swayed by one argument. It was just amazing. I mean, my fellow board members… they were not impressed by any of this… It was only the four really conservative, orthodox Christians on the board [who] were willing to stand up to the textbooks and say they don’t present the weaknesses of evolution.”

Heh. Well, one thing's for darn sure, if that fossil gets put into a dang textbook as evidence, it will sure make the weaknesses of EDUCATION prominent, particularly a Texas education.

P.S. I'll be more than happy to retitle that footprint as NOT FAKE once it's been examined by accredited science labs that specialize in fossil aging, instead of tests by catscans at the local medical center. But no way should any intelligent person allow it otherwise to slip into a SCIENCE textbook.


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Comments!  
1 - cool   19 Aug 2008 @ 7:59:40 PM 

I hope they do test it.

Then, (sorry to say) I hope you will be wrong.

After that they can test these:

https://www.bible.ca/tracks/dino-fossils.htm



2 - salon   19 Aug 2008 @ 8:02:14 PM 

I hope Carl Baugh tests it too,... but I"M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH.


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3 - anon   8 Sep 2008 @ 1:23:36 PM 

i dont beliv in dinsor



4 - logical   25 Oct 2008 @ 5:24:12 PM 

I have seen "Dr." Baugh's presentation and was immediately in question of everything that he said.


5 - salon   25 Oct 2008 @ 5:34:47 PM 

heh. Good for you!


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6 - Intelligent Non-Darwinist   20 Jun 2011 @ 9:27:17 PM  Opinions are just that. Let's not be narrow minded and take a closer look at these fossil prints. Darwin will do a few 360's!

7 - salon   20 Jun 2011 @ 9:43:44 PM 


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8 - humanbeing   20 Jun 2011 @ 10:56:29 PM 


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9 - bilil   20 Jan 2013 @ 5:58:49 PM 



10 - Patrick   23 Apr 2016 @ 10:34:20 PM 

first of all, this article is accusing the fossil of being fake, when there is NO EXPLENATION OF HOW IT IS FAKE. Second of all, the education system would NOT be stupid to allow Christianity, or this fossil in text books.


11 - salon   25 Apr 2016 @ 8:58:54 AM 

@Patrick. Have written quite a bit about the Alvis Delk footprint on this site, this is not the only article. In fact, the gist of the article above is about Texas schoolbooks and not the footprint itself. (Do a search on Alvis). Here's an article from Stones and Bones blog to start you off. 

and yes, the education system would be stupid to highlight anything about the Alvis Delk footprint in any textbook that was meant to *educate* children. Not merely stupid, though, but illegal.  If Carl Baugh wanted to ensure that people other than credulous creationists took what is clearly a fake seriously, he would have it seen by reputable paleontogists, say, at the State of Texas.  Here are some articles about Carl Baugh, including ones involving his credentials. 

Creationism shouldn't be taught as science because, first, it's based on a flawed book with a mythological origin story. But beyond that, 

Science and religion are two different human activities that seek to understand our world. Science rigorously applies the observation of natural phenomena and systems plus studies of modifications to these natural systems, to develop models that explain the order and function of the universe. As a key principle of science, evolutionary theory cannot be dismissed or diminished by characterizing it as mere conjecture or speculation. Furthermore, because it has developed out of scientific investigations, evolution cannot be equated with socially or religiously derived beliefs. Evolutionary theory, like all scientific descriptions of the workings of nature, is subject to continuing modification to reflect new knowledge gained through observation and experimentation.

The U.S. education system has witnessed repeated efforts to incorporate religious beliefs into scientific curricula as a counterpoint to evolutionary theory. Most recently these efforts have focused on intelligent design, which has been mischaracterized as a scientific theory by its principal proponents. Because intelligent design is not built upon a scientifically testable hypothesis, is not derived from a base of valid experimental studies, cannot point to any scientifically validated body of literature, and makes no testable predictions, it cannot be described as a scientific theory. The inclusion of non-scientific explanations in science curricula misrepresents the nature and processes of science. It also compromises a central purpose of public education—the preparation of a scientifically literate citizenry and workforce. Portraying non-scientific content as science in curriculum at any educational level poses a threat to the future scientific, technological, and economic competitiveness of the nation. 


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12 - salon   3 Jun 2016 @ 4:04:47 PM 

Incidentally, this is not the place to prosletyze or post links to creationism websites. If you have a comment on Alvis Delk's footprint, have at it,that is, after all, the topic,  but leave out the religious dogma, won't post it. 


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