Texas school board punts on evolution

March 30, 11:02 AMProgressive Politics ExaminerJay McDonough

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Last week, the Texas State School Board took up the issue of whether to teach science or Christian faith in biology classes across the state.  The stakes were high, even for the rest of the country.  Texas is the largest market in the U.S. for textbooks, and as publilshers are reluctant to print state specific textbooks, the Texas public school ciriculum becomes very influential in establishing teaching guides for the rest of the nation.

In the end, the Board rejected a state science ciriculum that required Texas public school teachers to discuss the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolutionary theory.  But, in a giant capitulation, the Board did allow textbooks to include language that attempts to cast doubt on the validity of evolutionary concepts.

One amendment calls for students to "analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning any data on sudden appearance and stasis and the sequential groups in the fossil record." The key words are "sudden appearance" and "stasis." (Board chairman, Don) McLeroy argues that "the sudden appearance" of forms in the Cambrian period, when there was a rapid multiplication and diversification of species, and the persistence of forms over long periods of time (stasis) are evidence against evolution. And thus for creationism. (Link)

It should be noted that the overwhelming scientific consensus is that "sudden appearance" and "stasis" pose no threat to the stature of evolutionary theory and Kenneth Miller, a biology professor at Brown University said "The theory of evolution has no weaknesses."  (Chairman McLeroy commented "Scientific consensus means nothing.")

Mr. McLeroy should at least get points for being honest.  The argument that creationists just want both "sides" of the story told and want kids to decide, based on merit, which "side" they believe is disingenuous and ridiculous.  First, Mr. McLeroy and his followers don't want the students to decide.  Mr. McLeroy wants to decide what's being taught.  Second, the role of the teacher is to teach and the role of the student is to learn.  We don't let students decide 2 + 2 = 5 and we don't allow the teaching of astrology in astronomy classes.  And finally, if creationists were so concerned about exposing kids to both sides of the argument and allowing them to decide, they would be teaching evolution along with creationism in Sunday school. 

And they're not.