A bill proposed in the Missouri House of Representatives would require the equal treatment of science instruction regarding biological evolution and intelligent design.
HB 1227, known as the Missouri Standard Science Act, was introduced by State Rep. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, on Jan. 10. If enacted, it would require that textbooks covering any scientific theory of biological origin devote equal treatment to evolution and intelligent design.
Intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.
The equal treatment provision would apply to both public elementary and secondary schools and to introductory science courses taught at public higher education institutions in Missouri.
Rep. Brattin, of the 124th said that "for those in the scientific community to say that evolution is all 100 percent fact is absurd. And forcing those who believe in intelligent design (Gallup nationwide polling is more than 90 percent of Americans) to only be taught only biological evolution is WRONG. And for those who are so certain of their beliefs in evolution, what do you have to worry about?"
John McCaherty (R-District 90), is one of the co-sponsors of the bill.
McCaherty, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Murphy, says the bill does not affect any “supposed separation of church and state” since intelligent design does not promote God, it simply acknowledges the possibility that we are created by design rather than by chance.
“While some believe evolution is a science, it is actually a theory,” he said. “Science is something that can be proven through scientific process. Evolution cannot be proven, therefore, like ID, it is a theory.”
If the bill is enacted, new textbooks purchased for public schools will have to conform to the equal treatment requirement. A committee will be established to develop supplementary textbook material on intelligent design for interim use within two years.
In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require public schools to balance evolution lessons by teaching creationism. Since then, a number of state laws and school board initiatives have attempted to replace the theory of evolution by natural selection with the doctrine of intelligent design, or at least to mandate that the two theories be taught side-by-side as equal.
HB 1227 is the fourth antievolution bill of 2012, joining Indiana's Senate Bill 89 and New Hampshire's House Bills 1148 and 1157.
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