Let's teach "The Theory of Tawa and Spider Woman Created the Universe" in science classs

This kid seems a lot smarter than more than half of these kids. There ain't no such thing as a "theory of creationism" because creationism is a religious belief, not a scientific theory.

Seth Vietti, in that first link, writes about the AIMS test:

Take, for example, the writing prompt every 10th-grader had to answer this year. It was something like: "The state of Arizona is considering building a theme park. Write a persuasive letter explaining why it should be built in your area."

Reading this, I literally laughed out loud. The prompt is so bad it's almost funny, but thinking about it now, I see it's more of a tragedy than a comedy.

So many teens have something to say about the world around them - and they have to write a letter about building a fictional theme park? It's even worse than the patronizing "Describe your room" or "Tell us something unique about yourself" prompts that English teachers inevitably hand out on the first day of class.

I felt insulted and resentful that I was expected to write a unique and coherent letter about the benefits of theme-park construction. I almost felt sorry for the people whose job it was to grade the AIMS essays, monotonously wading through paper after identical paper. A better prompt, something relevant and topical, would have allowed for more voice and sparkle and would have let students show what they are capable of.

He's right. It is a tragedy.

Meanwhile, here's the real story of where the world came from, and this should be taught in science classes:

In the beginning there were only two: Tawa, the Sun God, and Spider Woman, the Earth Goddess. All the mysteries and power in the Above belonged to Tawa, while Spider Woman controlled the magic of the Below. In the Underworld, abode of the Gods, they dwelt and they were All. There was neither man nor woman, bird nor beast, no living thing until these Two willed it to be.

In time it came to them that there should be other Gods to share their labors. So Tawa divided himself and there came Muiyinwuh, God of All Life Germs; Spider Woman also divide herself so that there was Huzruiwuhti, Woman of the Hard Substances, the Goddess of all hard ornaments of wealth such as coral, turquoise, silver and shell. Huzruiwuhti became the always-bride of Tawa. They were the First Lovers and of their union there came into being those marvelous ones the Magic Twins -- Puukonhoya, the Youth, and Palunhoya, the Echo. As time unrolled there followed Hicanavaiya, Ancient of Six (the Four World Quarters, the Above and Below), Man-Eagle, the Great Plumed Serpent and many others. But Masauwhu, the Death God, did not come of these Two but was bad magic, who appeared only after the making of creatures.

And then it came about that these Two had one Thought and it was a might Thought -- that they would make the Earth to be between the Above and the Below where now lay shimmering only the Endless Waters. So they sat them side by side, swaying their beautiful bronze bodies to the pulsing music of their own great voices, making the First Magic Song, a song of rushing winds and flowing waters, a song of light and sound and life.