Textbook Showdown Texas schoolbooks at center of debate over evolution By April Castro The Associated Press AUSTIN - Texas will be under the microscope this week in the fight over teaching evolution in public schools as the State Board of Education votes on adopting biology textbooks that have been at the center of the debate. The board meets Thursday and Friday and is set to consider proposed changes submitted by 11 publishers. The board's decisions - which could determine which textbooks publishers offer to dozens of states - will end a review process that has been marked by months of heated debate over the theory of evolution. Religious activists and proponents of alternative science urged publishers to revise some of the 10th-grade books, and they want the board to reject others, saying they contain factual errors regarding the theory of evolution. Mainstream scientists assert that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is a cornerstone of modern research and technology. Board members can only vote to reject books based on factual errors or failure to follow state curriculum as mandated by the Legislature. "There's a bait and switch going on here because the critics want the textbooks to question whether evolution occurred. And of course, they don't because scientists don't question whether evolution occurred," said Eugenie Scott, executive director of the California-based National Center for Science Education. Among those questioning the textbooks are about 60 biologists from across the country who signed a "statement of dissent" about teaching evolution and said both sides of the issue should be taught. Several religious leaders also testified against teaching evolution. Any changes to the textbooks will have implications across the country. Texas is the nation's second-largest buyer of textbooks, and books sold in the state are often marketed by publishers nationwide. Texas, California and Florida account for more than 30 percent of the nation's $4 billion public school book market. Three dozen publishers invest millions of dollars in Texas. One of the most vocal advocates of changing the textbooks is the Discovery Institute, a nonprofit think tank based in Seattle. Institute officials have argued at board hearings that alternatives to commonly accepted theories of evolution should be included in textbooks to comply with a state requirements that strengths and weaknesses are presented. "These things are widely criticized as being problematic. They aren't criticisms we made up; they're criticisms widely held in scientific community," Discovery Institute fellow John West said. Bruce Chapman, president of the institute, said Saturday night that his group only wants publishers to present strengths and weaknesses of evolution, and that some have done so. "We think there's much more to be done, of course, and our proposal to the board is that further changes should be made," he said. Steven Schafersman, presi-dent of Texas Citizens for Science, said there are no weaknesses in current textbooks' explanation of evolution. Publishers are required to cover evolution in science books. The institute has referred to a theory dubbed intelligent design - a belief that life did not evolve randomly but progressed according to a plan or design. http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/110203/tex_textbook.shtml Itelligent Design theorists please go away. You are not fooling anybody. We know who you really are. I swear I will stay out of your church if you stay out of my science books. (I would probably stay out of your church anyway though)
I support the 'Brutal Design' theory. Evolution is being directed by a sadistic outside force who enjoys the pain and suffering inflicted on all living species.
What would be sweet is if social studies/history books, in accordance with this newfound commitment to science and truth, would put an asterisk next to every mention of religions,churches, etc by saying that the existence of God/Zeus/Ra/Allah etc was "just a theory" and present the strenghts and weaknesses of the case for and against.
OMG! They are teaching a kooky theory like evolution in our schools in SCIENCE classes! What is this world coming to? Intelligent design has it's place in school, namely Theology classes in college or the seminary as well as Sunday School.
It's called a typo. Most intelligent people would realize that and wouldn't think twice about it. They would also note that you ain't funny.
it is disturbing to think that intelligent design could be thought in SCIENCE class. it is even more disturbing that this could come about because of only a small minority of people want it leave science in science class and leave religion for church will this issue ever be settled? I guess since only a small minority of people attend church anymore, religious types feel they must force religious teachings on our kids (not their own) by sneaking them into public school courses. Why don't we allow each parent to be ones to decide if religious ideas will be apart of their individual child's education?
Well a lot of "religious types" have no problem with evolution. It is just a certian group from a certain religion...
Do only a small minority of people regularly attend church anymore? I thought the percentage of Americans who regularly attended church services had held pretty steady over the last fifty years or so (at roughly 40%). But even if it's half that, that wouldn't be a "small" minority, in my opinion.
I'd agree that science class should be confined to science. The problem is that the origin of life is more of a metaphysical issue than a science issue and public schools do not have any avenue for education in theology or philosophy. I think if educators could fill this gaping hole in the standard curriculum, then champions of these other views could leave biology class alone. It is insufficient to leave this subject to Sunday school. It is a very important subject and one, actually, that has a very large body of scholarly work that should not be consigned to the dust bin for fear of one's children getting 'brain-washed'.
Intelligent design seems better suited for philosophy than science. If an intelligent being really is guiding everything, why do birth defects happen?
Couldn't he have just designed a world where beer flows in the streams, where filet mignon grows on the trees and, it's just me and the twins?
I think there has been reasearch that shows a lot of people supposedly lie on the churchgoing survey, no kidding. And they'll burn in hell for it!
exactly my point, that only a certain small group of people feel that ID should be taught in public school, but yet here we are, having this discussion..
Absolutely. Excellent points. It's still a mystery to me why philosophy isn't a mandatory class in public education. The concept of "intelligent design" could be seamlessly incorporated into a philosophy unit on religious creation myths. Religion is a HUGE part of our world, and students should be exposed to as many viewpoints as possible. "Intelligent design" isn't fact, but that doesn't mean the concept doesn't play a large role in modern life. It just doesn't belong in science class.
The problem is evolution from nothing - to life - to humans is presented as facts. The parts that can be proven (e.g. all dogs evolved from a common dog ancestor) and the parts that can't be proven (there was nothing, nothing exploded, the nothing that exploded came to life, the living nothing changed overtime and eventually became a person) are both presented as fact.+-
