Good on ya, West!
I reckon that teaching "flat earth" in schools is a terrific idea!
It would go along nicely with "Creation Science".
Come to think of it, it would dovetail nicely with the Howard government's plan to teach the benefits of nuclear power.

There is only one disadvantage - these teachings might cause some collateral damage, resulting in some unhealthy scepticism in some recalcitrant children - leading them to question and evaluate what they are taught. (We'd have to deal with those problem children!).
Christina Macpherson www.antinuclearaustralia.com

West of course is being factious to suggest intelligent design and flat Earth are equally irrelavent theories to be debunked in education. His attitudes show preconceived brainwashed rejection rather than intelligent scientific questioning.

All human endeavour is learned by observing intelligent design principles. It is in the reflection and experimentation of the design of our Universe and consistent logicical outcomes that makes intelligent principles workable and consistent. All chemicals and conditions being equal the same result occurrs, and as we learn and understand change we are able to create a different outcome.

To suggest Flat Earth theory falls in the same paradigm is nonsense. It is as we by the naked eye can observe and measure a physical curve of the Earth we are able to calculate a line movement on the circumference of the surface of the earth to ultimately end up at the point from when we began. Flat Earth is not what we observe in reality, intelligence suggests we live on a designed sphere; such design functions best in gravitational fields of the universe.

Thankyou for the information spendocrat. After reading several sites concerning the subject I conclude 'Intelligent Falling Theory' is as credible as ‘Evangelical scientist’, the former irrational nonsense the later an oxymoron. There are some sites which place the theories origin as a joke which was taken seriously by Intelligent Design enthusiasts but it appears it is a product of a so called think tank dishonestly attempting to attribute it to Newton.

The shape of the earth is determined by people’s point of view Philo?

ChristinaMac yes it would suit Howard nicely as radioactive waste could simply be tipped off the edge of the Earth. The flat earth ‘point of view’ then would certainly explain why nuclear waste was dumped in the Atlantic.

An interesting point you make ChristinaMac, curious minds would have to be persecuted to allow the acceptance of a flat Earth. Intelligent design requires unquestioned acceptance of Orwellian directives and adjustment of information from a hierarchy of ‘think tanks’. To see how it works I recommend http://www.discovery.org/

Hasbeen surely British industry has benefited by its inclusion in the EU? Even if glory days are gone a flat Earth makes aviation cheaper as gliders could be launched off the edge of the world. The Brits simply teach their scientists the world is flat and following that ‘point of view’ will invigorate their aviation industry. A flying broomstick industry was too impractical as hardwood stocks world wide are depleting. The panacea for timber shortage is to teach the ‘point of view’ that the worlds forests are infinite.

This is an excellent system Intelligent Design boffins have invented. We could stop climate change by teaching the ‘point of view’ that there is no climate change.

Imagine the medical implications of such a system.

Hahahahahh, Fairdinkum, Is this some Post Modern Gee up?
Gold fish are more intelligent.

I suppose if you can PhD in Barbie dolls these days, then the flat earth science policy will only compliment intellectual consistency. E=M c Box head.

oooh I think I have to go to the closest hospital. I am dieing of laughter.

And me!
I just read that article on http://www.theonion.com/content/node/39512

and my favourite quote is:

"Things fall not because they are acted upon by some gravitational force, but because a higher intelligence, 'God' if you will, is pushing them down," said Gabriel Burdett, who holds degrees in education, applied Scripture, and physics from Oral Roberts University.

When I read the above, I started laughing so much that God decided to push me off my chair and I ended up ROFL.
Just crawled back on, against the pull of gravity to say: thanks, West and others, this is hilarious.

The danger with Intelligent Design is the so called scientists that seem to give it credibility. (They seem to pop up now and then). The creation message can drown out creative thought with the “created in 7 days theory”. If you believe this you tend not to look any further and put it down to the work of the creator. EXAMPLE: Your house is blown down in a storm. As a believer in creation you accept this and move house or build another. As a non-believer you look for the reason your house blew down and introduce bracing or whatever it takes to stop it blowing down next time.