. . . the answer is usually obvious.
Up to this point in his campaign for District 8 of the Kansas State Board of Education, Dennis E. Hedke has refused to answer "Yes" or "No" to simple questions about the Kansas Science Standards. In contrast, his opponent Walt Chappell has been extremely forthright and crystal clear when answering the same questions.
Should the board revise its science standards to include criticism of evolution? If so, why, and in what way? If not, why not?
| Walt Chappell: NO!! I have taught evolution in Kansas middle and high school science classes plus served on the College of Medicine faculty at the University of Iowa. Each major religion and culture has its own explanation of how the universe was created. No one knows how it began. But, the millions of years of scientific evidence of evolution on Earth are well documented and must be taught in our classrooms. | Dennis E. Hedke: The best science includes examination of all possible data sources and theories related to the problem at hand. Climate science, origin science, behavioral science, geological science, biological and physical sciences, etc., are all but subsets of the broad spectrum of scientific endeavor. If we act in any way to hinder the fullest access to information relevant to the study of any given problem, we are not acting in the interest of either the student or the body of science at large. |
Source: 2008 Wichita Eagle Online Voter's Guide
This candidate forum video diplays a similar trend.
As seen in the video, when asked whether he supported "alternatives to teaching mainstream evolution," Hedke managed to talk for almost two minutes without uttering the words "Yes" or "No."
When the same question was posed to Chappell, he got right to the point:
"Okay, you passed the baton to the science teacher. The answer is no."
Since Hedke refuses to give clear answers to such simple questions, I would like to ask what you think.
It really is a simple question.
posted by Jeremy Mohn
