Intelligent Design Theory: Science or Religion?

2 votes for new science lessons
(By RON MATUS, St. Petersburg Times, February 6, 2008)

A second Board of Education member has come out in favor of the state's proposed new science standards, adding to the intrigue two weeks before the board vote on Feb. 19.

"I'm in support of the standards in the way they have been proposed," Akshay Desai of St. Petersburg told the St. Petersburg Times. "I do support evolution. There's not a question about that at all."

The current tally for the seven-member board now stands at two in favor, two appearing to lean against and three either undecided or unwilling to say.

The current science standards, put in place in 1996, do not mention the word "evolution" and instead refer to "changes over time." The proposed standards say evolution is "the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence." If the Board of Education approves, students will be tested on them next year.

In an interview with the Times in December, Desai, a medical doctor and businessman who was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist, would not close the door on inclusion of alternative theories in the standards. But in an interview Monday, he did shut the door, saying such theories did not have a place in the science curriculum. "Maybe in some other classes," he said.

Asked for a prediction on the vote, Desai said he expected his fellow board members to approve the standards, given that they are "responsible citizens and knowing their desire to give our students a world-class education."

Desai joins board member Roberto Martinez of Miami in supporting the standards.

Board member Donna Callaway said two months ago that she was against the proposed standards, but she said Monday that she could not say whether her position is the same until she reads the final draft, which was released Friday.

Board member Linda Taylor of Fort Myers has not said how she will vote, but she has been sympathetic to arguments that call for inclusion of alternative theories.

As for the rest of the board: Chairman T. Willard Fair of Miami says he won't disclose his position until the meeting.

Phoebe Raulerson of Okeechobee says she is undecided. And the Times has been unable to reach Kathleen Shanahan of Tampa.

According to what I read Mr Desai was appointed by Jeb Bush.

Are these thousands of kids awaiting which way these poseurs are going to "lean" on the Big Nite. It looks like some might toss up.

What's the "intrigue" wande?

Some Florida citizens are pushing for a "watering down" of the proposed science education standards. Even a lawsuit has been threatened.

Quote:

Some Florida citizens are pushing for a "watering down" of the proposed science education standards. Even a lawsuit has been threatened.

That has nothing to do with anything. "Some", "pushing", "watering down", "proposed" and "threatened" are all so devoid of meaning as to render the whole into gibberish. And what is gibberish doing on a science forum?

And please refrain from asserting that I have posted gibberish without the bother of explaining why. If you don't mind.

Evolution: Just a theory?
(By MARC CAPUTO, Miami Herald, February 6, 2008)

Top state legislators say they're ready to join the fight over putting the word ''evolution'' in Florida's public school science standards to ensure that it's taught as just a theory and not as fact.

Rep. Marti Coley, future House Speaker Dean Cannon and state Sen. Stephen Wise, all Republicans, say they're considering filing legislation this spring that would specifically call evolution a ''theory'' if the state Board of Education approves the proposed science standards Feb. 19 as currently written.

For the first time in state history, the standards would clearly call on all science teachers to instruct middle- and high-schoolers about evolution and natural selection.

The proposed standards just say ''evolution,'' not ``theory of evolution.''

Though Wise says biblical creationism should be taught alongside evolution, Coley said she doesn't want to go that far with evolution.

''It's technically a theory. Let's present it for what it is'' Coley told The Miami Herald on Tuesday.

Coley's proposal concerns backers of mainstream science because they fear the word ''theory'' could be easily manipulated to cast doubt on evolution, a pillar of biology.

In common usage, a theory is just a guess. In scientific terms, a theory -- like gravity or quantum mechanics -- is a testable explanation of a phenomenon based on facts.

''If you use the word theory to imply that scientists think evolution is just a hypothesis and is not real, that gives an incorrect impression,'' said Prof. Joseph Travis, the dean of Florida State University's Arts and Sciences College, who reviewed the state's science standards.

''If you use the word theory to say it's the best idea to explain how it works, then that's good,'' he said.

Almost as soon as the standards were proposed in October, blogs and letter-writing campaigns were cranked up.

A number of rural Florida county school boards began criticizing the standards, and a state Department of Education worker sent out a call-to-arms e-mail to fellow Christians, noting that teaching evolution will be ``a COMPLETE contradiction of what we Teach them at home.''

Board of Education member Donna Callaway said in the Florida Baptist Witness that ''other theories of the origins of life'' should be taught. Evolution as proposed in the standards doesn't deal with the origins of life.

One concept being pushed by evolution bashers is intelligent design, which holds that the design of complex organisms is the result of the ''purposeful arrangement of parts'' by an unknown designer or designers.

A federal judge in Dover, Penn., banned intelligent design from classrooms in that state, saying it is based on religion.

Coley, who believes in intelligent design, said she also thinks it is too religious to teach in science classes. But she's ready to use the power of the Legislature -- which can override the Board of Education -- to insert the word ''theory'' into the standards.

''We are prepared,'' Coley said.

Coley hasn't filed legislation but has discussed that option with next year's House Speaker designate, Ray Sansom of Destin, and his likely successor, Dean Cannon of Winter Park, and Will Weatherford, Republican of Wesley Chapel.

Cannon said intelligent design should ideally be taught, but would leave that issue up to the "curricular experts."

And Wise, who said he is considering ''legislative remedies,'' went a step further by saying that creationism should be taught in schools.

''Put them side by side,'' he said of evolution and biblical teaching.

All the talk about alternatives and evolution make church-state separationists like Sen. Nan Rich almost speechless.

''It's amazing to me. But this is Florida,'' said Rich, a Sunrise Democrat. "Rather than fixing education, we get caught up in mixing religion and state."

Gov. Charlie Crist, reached between campaign appearances with Sen. John McCain, said Tuesday he will reserve judgment, but added, ``I think the way it's handled now is just fine.''

Board of Education member Roberto Martinez of Miami said he will vote for the proposal as is, and that adding the word ''theory'' is unnecessary. ''The standards are fine. They were developed by scientists. I trust them,'' he said.

The state education department said the new standards are needed to ensure a mainstream, uniform science education in Florida and to keep the state from ranking in the bottom of national science surveys.

Travis, the FSU professor, said teaching evolution is key because it underpins the biological study of everything from dinosaurs to diseases. He also wondered why the critics aren't pushing to have the word ''theory'' precede mentions of gravity in the standards.

Asked if it should be called the ''theory of gravity'' in the standards, Coley said: ``Sure.''

But, she said, people aren't calling her about gravity.

''I have been overwhelmed with the response from constituents where they're not asking for anything else to be taught,'' she said.

'It's not like they're asking, `Oh please, teach intelligent design or creationism,' or anything like that. They're just saying put the word theory in there because that's what it is.''

FLORIDA UPDATE

Quote:

Evolution: Just a theory?
(By MARC CAPUTO, Miami Herald, February 6, 2008)

a state Department of Education worker sent out a call-to-arms e-mail to fellow Christians, noting that teaching evolution will be "a COMPLETE contradiction of what we Teach them at home.''

wandeljw wrote:

FLORIDA UPDATE

Quote:

Evolution: Just a theory?
(By MARC CAPUTO, Miami Herald, February 6, 2008)

a state Department of Education worker sent out a call-to-arms e-mail to fellow Christians, noting that teaching evolution will be "a COMPLETE contradiction of what we Teach them at home.''

There's the real problem.

rosborne979 wrote:

wandeljw wrote:

FLORIDA UPDATE

Quote:

Evolution: Just a theory?
(By MARC CAPUTO, Miami Herald, February 6, 2008)

a state Department of Education worker sent out a call-to-arms e-mail to fellow Christians, noting that teaching evolution will be "a COMPLETE contradiction of what we Teach them at home.''

There's the real problem.

That clearly shows what motivates opponents of the science education standards.

I would object to any attempt to not teach evolution too unless of course the one line quoted is not the whole story. Was the worker objecting to HOW evolution would be taught; i.e. a concept that negates common religious belief? Or is it being taught as scientific principle leaving religion out of it?

I think it is important to know the context before passing judgment.

State rebukes evolution foe
(By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, St. Petersburg Times, December 8, 2007)

The debate over evolution, creation and Florida's science standards has grown increasingly heated as a decision nears, and a state Department of Education manager who has waded into it now finds herself in hot water.

Selena "Charlie" Carraway, program manager for the department's Office of Instructional Materials, recently used her personal e-mail on personal time to send a missive urging fellow Christians to fight the proposal to include evolution as a "key idea" in the science curriculum.

But she invoked her position as a way to, in her words, "give this e-mail credibility." And that, it turns out, is a no-no.

"It is inappropriate for any department employee to use their public position to advocate their personal positions," department spokesman Tom Butler said Friday. "Ms. Carraway has been counseled."

That means human resources personnel met with Carraway and warned her not to do this again, but she remains on the job.

That's quite a different result than the one that befell the Texas Education Agency's director of science for a similar situation.

Last month, Christine Comer was forced to resign from her job in Texas after forwarding an e-mail announcement of a speech by an author who favored teaching evolution. In several articles, Comer blamed evolution politics for her fate in Texas, which also is reviewing its science standards.

Observers familiar with both situations said it looked like Carraway, more than Comer, had done something deserving of reprimand. They praised the Florida Education Department for acting with restraint.

"They behaved with much more proportionality," said Eugenie Scott, executive director of the pro-evolution National Center for Science Education. "Indeed, Ms. Carraway should not use her public position to promote her religious position. ... Now she has a second chance, and hopefully she'll behave more responsibly."

Joe Wolf, president of the pro-evolution Florida Citizens for Science, agreed.

"I think she's allowing her religious beliefs to interfere with her public duty," Wolf said. "I wish she hadn't done it. But I think it's an internal matter."

Scott and Wolf both observed that such restraint can be difficult in this charged atmosphere.

Carraway did not respond to several requests for an interview. Butler said he confirmed that the e-mail in question, which has been widely distributed across Florida, came from her.

Here's how she introduced herself:
"My name is Charlie Carraway, and I'm a member of Sopchoppy Southern Baptist Church, Sopchoppy, Florida, but I also work for the Florida Department of Education as the Director of the Office of Instructional Materials," Carraway wrote. "That means I oversee the adoption process of books and materials in the state, and I work in close proximity to the folks in the Office of Mathematics and Science, who have been in charge of the revision of the science standards. I say all of this, obviously, to give this e-mail credibility."

Carraway detailed the proposed standards, which have won accolades from scientists, and provided ways to contact the State Board of Education.

"Once these become adopted standards and benchmarks, FCAT assessment will be based on them," she wrote. "Districts will not have a choice in teaching evolution as a theory, but will be expected to teach it as stated in these standards, big ideas, and benchmarks. ... Whose agenda is this and will the Christians in Florida care enough to do something about it?"

She ended by urging recipients to lobby against the standards, ending, "The least we can do is make sure evolution is presented to our children and grandchildren as a theory as it has been in the past. Hopefully, though, we can do better than that." Carraway was not part of the committee that recommended the science standards.

Carraway is just the latest public official to get embroiled in the controversy, which has gained national attention. The Polk County School Board has stated it might allow alternatives to evolution to be in its schools, and State Board of Education member Donna Callaway gained attention for her statement that evolution "should not be taught to the exclusion of other theories of origins of life."

evolution, a pillar of biology.

Correct. These people have not yet learned how to reconcile their beliefs with scientific facts. Unfortunately for them, public schools teach science, which exposes their kids to ideas in conflict with their personal beliefs.

ros wrote-

Quote:

Correct. These people have not yet learned how to reconcile their beliefs with scientific facts. Unfortunately for them, public schools teach science, which exposes their kids to ideas in conflict with their personal beliefs.

It's a complete cop out to talk about ideas in that way and skip out the ideas.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.