A primary school has cancelled a play about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution following complaints from a group of Christian parents.
Several families threatened to withdraw their children from the play, which is aimed at 7- to 11-year-olds, as they felt one of the scenes “mocked” a bishop involved in a historic debate on evolution.
Hartford Manor Primary School, a non-religious community school in a village in Cheshire, decided to cancel the musical Darwin Rocks and replace it with a less divisive show following the objections.
But the decision to cancel the play has provoked anger among another group of parents who argue that it is “unacceptable” that their children have been denied a valuable learning opportunity.
Alan McDonald, a parent at the school who wants the production to be brought back, said: “It really does feel like a huge step backwards.
“It doesn’t seem evenhanded or in any way right.”
Mr McDonald, who is a scientist in the civil service, added: ”It is something that I think children should be learning about and this vehicle that they use is good.
“It seems ridiculous to whitewash history and replace it with something entirely vacuous.
“I think it is just a thinly veiled attempt to cram religious views over the top of scientific fact which I think is shameful personally.”
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It is simply unacceptable that religious fundamentalist views should have such influence in a community primary school and prevent children accessing what should have been a brilliant learning experience.”
They added that they were worried that there was a “conflict of interests” as the chair of governors at the non-faith community school is a local vicar.
As well as complaints around the portrayal of the English bishop Samuel Wilberforce, a number of Christian parents also had concerns about a song in the show about “bumping and grinding”.
Simon Kidwell, headteacher of Hartford Manor Primary School, said: “We thought it would be a problem to rewrite it. So we decided to change it.
“However, in hindsight I think that was a hasty decision. We could have put more effort into looking at whether we could have adapted it to make sure it was inclusive of everybody.
“I have apologised to the parents and we will consider putting it on in future years if we can make sure those bits are edited so it is inclusive for everybody.”
The head added that the chair of governors had not played a part in the decision to cancel the play.
Stephen Evans, CEO of the National Secular Society, said: “We’re seeing a worrying trend of parents pressuring headteachers and threatening to withdraw children when teaching doesn’t fit their, often narrow, worldview.
“Schools should broaden pupils’ horizons and need to be supported to do that when faced with external pressure demanding that the education their children receive conforms with parents’ religious views.”
““I think it is just a thinly veiled attempt to cram religious views over the top of scientific fact which I think is shameful personally.””
YOUR “FACTS” ARE A FEW DUG UP MONKEY BONES THAT YOU GUYS TAKE AS BEING “HUMAN” BY “FAITH”.
SCIENTISM IS JUST ANOTHER RELIGION……………………THE “THEORY OF EVOLUTION” IS JUST THAT/////// A THEORY.CREATED TO REMOVE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF MAN AND GROUP HIM WITH ANIMALS, THEREBY GIVING THE “CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL” THE ABILITY TO REMOVE YOUR RIGHTS,BECAUSE YOU WERE BRAINWASHED INTO BELIEVEING THAT YOU ARE “JUST ANOTHER ANIMAL”. DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THE JEWS FOLLOW DARWIN IN THAT THEORY? TEACH THAT SHIT TO THEIR OWN CHILDREN?LMAO!!!!!…………. HOMESCHOOL, HOMESCHOOL, HOMESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!
Good one Koyote. Here is how my FREE PDF novel explains the construct of evolution:
“I really do not think creationism is science, but neither is evolution if that’s what you mean. Because, well, I’ll put it to you this way. If a Harley-Davidson was one of God’s creatures created on day five or six when He created birds and mammals and other animals and humans, then it would have been called ‘cheetah,’ which can run about 80 kilometers per hour, and, one second later, can rotate its body around, and head off reaching 80 kilometers per hour in about five seconds. And, son, no freaking Harley-Davidson could ever do that without destroying the engine or crashing the bike! Evolution is a construct.”
“What’s a construct?”
“A construct is a way we express something we have no clue about to justify why we do or believe something so that it makes sense to us. Since no man was around when God created cheetahs, and since man cannot explain how God created cheetahs in truth since they don’t know how God works and most don’t even think He even exists, they have to make up a construct, call it ‘evolution,’ and convince everyone that Darwin knows all there is to know about creation. And of course they can’t prove evolution is fact, so they diss everyone who says creation is a fact! That’s how these so-called ‘rationalists’ work.”
BUT DARWINS THEORY IS INSIDIOUS IN ITS NATURE. IT ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE THE RIGHTS OF ALL OF MANS OFFSPRING,WHO ARE FORCED TO STUDY IT, THEREBY MAKING THEM “ANIMALS”…. THUS ALLOWING ASSHOLES A MENTAL LOOPHOLE IN WHICH TO INSERT THEIR “RULER SHIP……………”
And if we are considered animals
Those fcks feel they can use us for some really sick ass shit
And that our self worth , is .. well,worthless
NOW YOU KNOW WHY I REALLY BECAME A PREACHER………….AMERICANS ESPECIALLY, NEED TO RETAIN THEIR DIGNITY IN FACE OF ASSHOLES THAT THINK THEY ARE SOMEHOW “BETTER THAN YOU”. REAL CHRISTIANITY SHOOTS HOLES IN ALL THAT THEORY AND CONDEMNS THOSE AS EVIL WHO PRACTICE IT………………WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE “PRIESTS AND KINGS”… NOT DOGS CHASING FALSE GODS AND MAMMON………