Hi there:

As a science teacher and as a concerned US citizen, I am appalled by the
Kansas decision. The decision to not include evolution in the curriculum
has far reaching ramifications. Does this mean that the geologic ages will
no longer be taught? How can classification be taught without reference to
evolutionary change? How can comparative anatomy be taught without
reference to evolutionary change? How can genetics be taught without
reference to evolutionary change? In fact, most of our recent genetic
advances confirm evolutionary theory. What about the Grants' studies on
finch evolution on Daphne Island in the Galapagos. Those studies certainly
present convincing evidence for evolution.

Religion does not need to be proved. It is a philosophy, it is a belief
system. Evolution is not a belief. Creationism is not science, it is part
of a religious belief. Religious beliefs should be taught in religous
settings; not in the public school system.

In my classroom, I firmly separate religion from science. Students are not
required to "believe in evolution", they are required to learn about the
theory in order to pass the unit. Then, they can forget about it if they so
choose. It deeply concerns me that the religous views of some are dictating
education for all.

Rosalind Philips
Tumwater, WA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
> [mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Dale Goble
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 6:43 AM
> To: Tweeters
> Subject: Evolution, Shmevolution (fwd)
>
>
>
>
> A complete version of this article can be found at:
> http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/081299kan-evolution-edu.html
>
> Kansas Votes to Delete Evolution From State's Science Curriculum
>
> By PAM BELLUCK
>
> CHICAGO -- The Kansas Board of Education voted on Wednesday to delete
> virtually any mention of evolution from the state's science curriculum,
> in one of the most far-reaching efforts by creationists in recent years
> to challenge the teaching of evolution in schools.
>
> While the move does not prevent the teaching of evolution, it will not
> be included in the state assessment tests that evaluate students'
> performance in various grades, which may discourage school districts
> from spending time on the subject.
>
> And the decision is likely to embolden local school boards seeking
> either to remove evolution from their curriculums, to force teachers to
> raise questions about its validity or to introduce creationist ideas.
> Some local boards have already said they will consider adopting
> creationist textbooks, while others have said they will continue
> teaching evolution.
>
> Creationists say a divine being created humans and other species. They
> say that since evolution cannot be observed or replicated in a
> laboratory, there is no evidence that it actually occurred.
>
>
> The Kansas decision is significant because the new curriculum, which is
> a guideline, deletes not only most references to biological evolution,
> but also references to the big bang theory, which holds that the
> universe was born from a vast explosion, contradicting creationists'
> biblical interpretation. The new curriculum also includes at least one
> case study that creationists use to debunk evolution.
>
>
> Mark Looy of Answers in Genesis, a creationist group, said: "Students in
> public schools are being taught that evolution is a fact, that they're
> just products of survival of the fittest. There's not meaning in life if
> we're just animals in a struggle for survival. It creates a sense of
> purposelessness and hopelessness, which I think leads to things like
> pain, murder and suicide."
>
>
>
> Many creationists believe the Bible shows life on earth cannot be more
> than 10,000 years old. Some have adopted a less religious
> interpretation, saying the earth was created by an "intelligent
> designer" because it is simply too complex to be explained any other
> way.
>
> Recently, creationists have been searching for events they say raise
> doubts about evolution or suggest the world is much younger than
> scientists claim. One common example is the 1980 eruption of Mount St.
> Helen's, which creationists say proves geologic changes can happen very
> rapidly. The new Kansas science standards include Mount St. Helen's and
> Mount Etna as examples that "suggest alternative explanations to
> scientific hypotheses or theories."
>
> The Kansas debate began more than a year ago when the state appointed a
> committee of 27 scientists and professors to write a state version of
> new national science guidelines.
>
> But when those standards were submitted to the board, a conservative
> member, Steve Abrams, a former state Republican chairman, said he "had
> some serious questions about it," claiming "it is not good science to
> teach evolution as fact."
>
> With the help of creationists, Abrams rewrote the standards, deleting
> most of the two pages on evolution. What remained was "micro-evolution,"
> which refers to genetic adaptation and natural selection within a
> species. But "macro-evolution," the origin of species, was gone.
>
> Abrams also tried to insert these words: "The design and complexity of
> the design of the cosmos requires an intelligent designer." But after
> protest from scientists, that sentence was stricken. After months of a
> 5-to-5 deadlock, the new standards were approved by a vote of 6 to 4,
> with some anti-evolution board members and others supporting local
> control.
>
>
>