Headteacher mocked over 'evolution is not a fact' tweet

Updated

A primary school headteacher has been mocked online after tweeting that "evolution is not a fact".

Christina Wilkinson, head at St Andrew's CE Primary School in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, took to social media in response to a post by Tom Sherrington, a headteacher who had written a blog on an assembly about evolution.

Her post, which claimed there was more evidence in support of the Bible, has since been taken down from the account @WilkinsonHead.

It read: "Evolution is not a fact. That's why it's called a theory! There's more evidence that the Bible is true."

In response, Tony Hopkinson ?(@TonyJHopkinson) tweeted: "Evolution is fact @WilkinsonHead By Natural Selection is the theory. Willful ignorance is not a useful trait in a teacher."

The teacher later issued a statement saying: "I'd like to make it clear that we teach the full national curriculum in school and that our pupils receive a fully rounded education."

She added that the comment had been made using her personal Twitter account, and "represents my own views".

On the blog page www.headguruteacher.com, Mr Sherrington said that that the reaction had been "remarkable" because, "usually assembly blogs don't get much attention".

He wrote: "The response was largely fuelled by an unfortunate twitter comment from a Christian primary school teacher who was then battered with over 700 replies in 24 hours before she took her twitter account and school website down."

He added that he had made direct contact with her to offer support.

"She was bemused by the reaction and, whilst she was wrong to pit evolution against the Bible, she didn't deserve the abuse," he said.

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