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Last week, the Ohio State Education Board unanimously voted to approve new
state science standards that, for the first time in the state's history, include
evolution. Intelligent Design creationism, which stresses the role of a creator
in establishing order in the natural world, will not be a part of the standards.
"The intent of this indicator does not mandate the teaching or testing
of Intelligent Design," read the final version of the Ohio standards.
The Dec. 10 vote ended a raging debate since January of this year on whether
or not to include Intelligent Design creationism in the high school life and
earth science curriculum. The Ohio Citizens for Science formed to fight changes
proposed by the Science Excellence of All Ohioans group, which advocated teaching
what they called alternative theories on the origins of life, including Intelligent
Design.
In response to the state board's vote, the Science Excellence of All Ohioans
group says: "While commending the State Board for substantially implementing
the teach-the-controversy proposal, we also note that the language in the evolutionary
theory sections is still problematic in numerous places … The language
calling for inclusion of evidence both for and against evolution could certainly
be more specific. Also, we would prefer that more explicit protection be given
to educators who choose to discuss alternatives to the theory of common descent."
While item number 23 in the standards does encourage teachers to discuss interpretations
of the patterns and processes behind evolution, it does not contest whether
evolution took place. In an open letter to the Ohio Citizens for Science, Eugenie
Scott of the National Center for Science Education writes, "The Ohio standards
give your teachers a great shield to stand behind when parents harass them about
teaching evolution … and also a nice little cattle prod for those teachers
who are reluctant to teach the e-word."
For more on the Ohio evolution vote, visit AGI
Government Affair's Web site.
Lisa M. Pinsker
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