教育局回覆了我們 Education Bureau has replied us
Post date: Sep 13, 2009 6:22:6 AM
(English version at the bottom of this page)
親愛的成員，
「香港科學教育關注組」向教育局局長孫明揚遞交一份由超
過七百人聯署的請願書。聯署者包括超過八十位學者，當中包括多名國際生物學家和科學家，例如一九七九年諾貝爾物理學獎得主史蒂芬溫伯格（Steven Weinberg）。
Facebook活動
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111723362916&index=1
活動照片
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=50382348521&view=all
9月9日，教育局終於通過電子郵件第一次正式答覆我們。有關信件：
http://sites.google.com/site/hkscienceeducation/Home/file-archive/ConcernGroupforHKSciEd.pdf?attredirects=0
這封信既令人鼓舞也令人失望。
令人鼓舞的是，教育局終於承認了演化論的科學地位和否認神創論和智慧設計可被視為演化論的「其他解釋」。
而令人失望的事情是，教育局間接拒絕作出任何文件上的更改或向學校公告，因為他們聲稱他們教育教師已經做得夠，而這事現在和他們無關。當然，這是不正確的。看看課程指引的原文：
"In addition to Darwin's theory, students are encouraged to explore other explanations for evolution and **the origins of life**, to help illustrate the dynamic nature of scientific knowledge."
而他們在回應的信中說，
“…students are encouraged to explore other explanations on evolution such as that of Jean Baptiste Larmarck and Sir Alfred Russell Wallace. The exploration of other explanations on evolution is meant to supplement the learning of Darwin’s Theory.”
這顯然是不符合原文中“other explanations”的定義。
恐怕我們因為缺乏曝光率，已被教育局忽略。如果這是真的，那麼，香港政府在此事上就是不稱職，也不願聽取市民的意見，真正激勵他們的是只是媒體的報導。對科學教育和香港的管治來說，這是一個非常嚴重的問題。
雖然我們已與政府溝通的很長一段時間，但我們不得不再次發出的正式回覆。請閣下在我們的討論板反映你的意見。
Adrian Mok
香港科學教育關注組
09年9月13日
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Dear members,
"Concern Group for Hong Kong Science Education" submitted a petition letter signed by more than 700 people to Secretary for Education Mr. Michael Suen of Education Bureau. Signers include more than 80 scholars, including international biologists and scientists, such as the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate Steven Weinberg.
Facebook event
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111723362916&index=1
Photos taken on that day
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=50382348521&view=all
On September 9, the Education Bureau finally sent us their first formal reply through email. You can now read the letter on our website:
http://sites.google.com/site/hkscienceeducation/Home/file-archive/ConcernGroupforHKSciEd.pdf?attredirects=0
The letter we have received is both encouraging and disappointing.
It is encouraging because the Bureau finally recognizes the scientific status of evolution and denies Creationism and Intelligent Design as alternatives to it.
The disappointing thing about it is that the Bureau has indirectly refused to make any change to documents or make announcement to school, because they claim they have done enough to teach the teachers, and this is none of their business now. Of course this is not true. Look at the original text of the curriculum guidelines:
"In addition to Darwin's theory, students are encouraged to explore other explanations for evolution and **the origins of life**, to help illustrate the dynamic nature of scientific knowledge."
While they claimed in the letter,
“…students are encouraged to explore other explanations on evolution such as that of Jean Baptiste Larmarck and Sir Alfred Russell Wallace. The exploration of other explanations on evolution is meant to supplement the learning of Darwin’s Theory.”
which is clearly inconsistent with the definition of “other explanations” in the original text.
I am afraid we are being ignored because of lack of exposure. If this is true, then the government has been very incompetent in and unwilling to listening to citizens’ view and what really motivates them is only media exposure. This is a very serious matter not just to science education, but to the governance of Hong Kong.
Although we have been communicating with the government for a very long time, we are forced to send yet another formal reply to the Bureau because of this letter. Please discuss and reflect your opinions in our discussion board.
Adrian Mok
Concern Group for Hong Kong Science Education
2009-9-13