According to a recent article in the New York Times, evolution opponents have adopted a "new" strategy:
Opponents of teaching evolution, in a natural selection of sorts, have gradually shed those strategies that have not survived the courts. Over the last decade, creationism has given rise to "creation science," which became "intelligent design," which in 2005 was banned from the public school curriculum in Pennsylvania by a federal judge.
Now a battle looms in Texas over science textbooks that teach evolution, and the wrestle for control seizes on three words. None of them are "creationism" or "intelligent design" or even "creator."
The words are "strengths and weaknesses."
Now a battle looms in Texas over science textbooks that teach evolution, and the wrestle for control seizes on three words. None of them are "creationism" or "intelligent design" or even "creator."
The words are "strengths and weaknesses."
The "strengths and weaknesses" ploy is not new. It has actually been around for at least a decade. The politically active anti-evolution group Texans for Better Science Education even has the phrase as the URL for its website.
I wrote about the disingenuous use of this phrase in an earlier post on this blog. As I pointed out, there is something wrong when a call to teach both "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution focuses only on the alleged weaknesses and fails to mention any of the well-established strengths. Clearly, this dispute is not about scientific accuracy.
Interestingly, the article includes a quote from the chairman of the Texas Board of Education that may reveal the true motive behind this latest ploy:
In Texas, evolution foes do not have to win over the entire Legislature, only a majority of the education board; they are one vote away.
Dr. [Don] McLeroy, the board chairman, sees the debate as being between "two systems of science."
"You've got a creationist system and a naturalist system," he said.
Dr. [Don] McLeroy, the board chairman, sees the debate as being between "two systems of science."
"You've got a creationist system and a naturalist system," he said.
In other words, McLeroy would like to see a creationist system of science promoted in Texas public schools. It seems that someone may not have gotten the memo.
Here's a novel idea: What if people with training in science were the ones in charge of setting the science curriculum? In line with that thought, the article ends with the following quote:
"When you consider evolution, there are certainly questions that have yet to be answered," said Mr. [Kevin] Fisher, science coordinator for the Lewisville Independent School District in North Texas.
But, he added, "a question that has yet to be answered is certainly different from an alleged weakness."
But, he added, "a question that has yet to be answered is certainly different from an alleged weakness."
posted by Jeremy Mohn
