A Christian school that receives millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money says it gives its science students “different perspectives”, including the creationist perspective, in relation to human evolution.

In articles published on its public website, West Australian-based Rehoboth Christian College blends religious myths with science in discussions about student activities and excursions as part of science classes.

The school website features a number of reports about Year 12 ‘Human Biology’ students participating in annual visits to Perth Zoo as part of “tackling worldview, science and culture”.

One such report says students are required to have an in-depth understanding of the theory of evolution in relation to primates and humans, and that they “explore and cross-examine” the evidence behind evolution to equip them for exams. However, the report adds that students also must have “a sound understanding of the different perspectives on this topic, both naturalist and creationist”.

Rehoboth Christian College tells prospective parents and families that it implements not only the Australian Curriculum but also a “distinctly Christian curriculum”, shaped by a Christian worldview in which Christ is “the lens through which our students view their learning and growth”.

It also boasts of having a strong record of a performance in the WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) for secondary learning, as well as for entry into tertiary education for its graduates.

Based on the articles published on its website, Year 12 science excursions to the zoo and scientific laboratories at a local university appear to be geared towards preparing students for sufficiently handling questions about evolution in their WACE exams. One article says:

“If you’re wondering what primates have to do with Human Biology, then it’s probably worth me pointing out that a significant section of the West Australian curriculum relates to understanding the scientific theory of human evolution. This is a big topic with potentially big implications for our theology.

“The zoo excursion offers an opportunity for our students to hear the evidence and theory laid out in a way they might not otherwise and sets the scene for valuable discussions that we will return to after exams. It was great to see our students thinking critically about what they heard and challenging some of the assumptions presented to them.”

The embedding of the Christian creationist myth appears to be a clear feature of science activities across the year levels.

One report discusses how Year 5 students from the school’s two campuses came together to take part in a science activity aimed at “inspiring future scientists, engineers, and innovators”, and also “fostering a deep love and appreciation for the creation God has given us to steward and how many more mysteries God has left us to discover.” 

At Year 3 level, the school describes both science and Christian studies classes as taking students on a journey of “uncovering the marvels of God’s creation”. An article says:

“In Science, we have dived deep into God’s incredible design of living things, especially focusing on plants. To make our learning more meaningful and hands on, we decided to plant our very own beans as a fun experiment… Throughout our Science adventures, our Year 3 buddies were bursting with curiosity about God’s creations, including us humans, who are also part of this amazing living world.”

In an article about a Year 8 visit to Murdoch University’s science facilities, the school even highlights a comment from a student complaining about “gay flags and evolutionary talk” as being the one downside of the excursion. 

According to the MySchool website, Rehoboth Christian College, in 2023, had almost 1,000 students and received a total of almost $13 million in recurrent funding from taxpayers, with $10,141,000 coming from the federal government and $2,714,857 coming from the West Australian government.

Earlier this month, the Rationalist Society of Australia questioned the West Australian government about its promotion of the propaganda line that the independent and religious schools system provides “values-based education”, pointing out that many of those schools value “anti-science dogmas”.

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Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.

Image: David Beale (Unsplash)