For many, the term “eugenics” conjures images of Nazi-run concentration camps and other horrific instances of science gone wrong.
So, it is no surprise that Dominic Cummings, a senior advisor to the UK Secretary of State for Education, has faced tremendous scrutiny over recent comments that seemed to advocate the benefits of eugenics. Earlier this month, Cummings claimed that “a child’s performance has more to do with genetic makeup than the standard of his or her education.”
Since those comments, Cummings has faced international backlash that has put pressure on the UK government to address the issue. The Huffington Post‘s Pete Shanks explores the controversy over the comments made by Cummings and the ethical issues of UK officials seemingly endorsing the validity of possible benefits offered by eugenics.
Read the full, original story here: Advocating Eugenics in the UK Department of Education
Additional Resources:
- “Dominic Cummings: genius or menace?” The Guardian
- “The old and new eugenics,” Genetic Literacy Project