Centenary College’s annual symposium called "Forum" gets underway this week with a focus on science and religion in public schools. Three events are planned to spark a community conversation.
Political activist and founder of Repeal Creationism, ZackKopplin, will open the Forum Wednesday with a talk about how he got involved in the politics of science education as a high school student in Baton Rouge. Centenary’s philosophy department chairman ChrisCiocchettisaid the Forum is ripe for discussion because public schoolchildren come from diverse religious backgrounds.
“One way which this comes out is around evolution, when we have science and evolution, and people have different ideas about that. It seemed worthwhile for us to talk about what should we do with that? How should public schools approach that issue?" Ciocchetti said.
The Forum concept is in its tenth year. It’s the first one that chemistry major BrittanyRapphas helped to organize. She looks forward to hearing a frank discussion about science education.
“Especially down in the South, it’s not really something that’s always openly discussed calmly or civilly. So, I think it will be interesting to see a community reaction," Rapp said.
Kopplin is set to speak Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Jan. 30, at 11:10 a.m. in Centenary’sBynumCommons. A panel discussion made up of students and community members is set for Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. to addressKopplin’sargument on science education. All events take place in the Whited Room at Centenary's Bynum Commons.
Kopplin, now a student at Rice University, is best known for his effort to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act. That was a controversial law passed in 2008 promoting the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in public schools.
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