Evolution Coverage Improves, Review Finds

http://bit.ly/4OrGm

I am a little tired of this debate, but despite the cheery title, the article actually shows a victory for the creationists. Though coverage of evolution in the standards has improved, the creationists have succeeded in smuggling in language that would allow teachers to cast doubt on evolution. This is just so absurd. I am all about teaching kids that science can never arrive at certainty. There is always the possibility that new evidence will contradict our old understanding. However, in science class, students also have to be taught that the standard is empirical evidence rather than mythical speculation.

My fear here is that all of us who are reasonable and see that a) evolution is a well-accepted scientific theory and b) that evolution in no way disallows the possibility of God are getting lulled by news such as what is reported in this article. Sure the standards offer a more thorough coverage of evolution, but those same standards allow teachers to cast doubt on evolution. We should not be concerned about the standards. We should be concerned about teachers like the gentleman who taught science across the hall from me in NC. He made the obligatory statements about evolution, but followed them with a sermon about the truth of creation. Separation of church and state? Not there.