Evolution vs. Intelligent Design

Anyone reading the newspaper recently has probably read an article or two about an upcoming vote by the State Board of Education regarding the way students in Texas are taught in science class. For the last 20 years, the state science curriculum allowed schools to teach "both the strengths and weaknesses" of evolution. However, the clause became a lightning rod of debate over the teaching of evolution with scientific proponents saying that evolution is a well tested theory and that any effort to undermine its concept is nothing but a back door attempt to assert religion into the classroom.

It should be no surprise that evolution has created a controversy in Texas today. Ever since Charles Darwin released his groundbreaking, yet controversial, book The Origin of Species in 1858, the scientific community and religious community have been at odds as to how we came to be. The first major court case in the US was the so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial” in 1927. In the case, a Tennessee teacher was convicted of teaching evolution in the classroom, but his case was overturned on appeal to the TN Supreme Court. This was the first decision to conclude that the teaching of creationism did violate the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution. Numerous court cases since further affirmed that teaching creationism (whether it is called Scientific Creationism, Intelligent Design, or something else) is unconstitutional.

This brings us to the controversy of today. Let me first state that I am not endorsing one side of the issue or the other. WISD will teach the required curriculum, no matter what the decision of the SBOE is. I just want to give you both sides of the argument:

Proponents of Removing the Clause:

• Evolution has countless experiments supporting it
• Does not claim to explain the origin of life, only how it evolved to what it is today
• Does not suggest that individuals evolve, only species evolve over time
• Intelligent Design and other opponents of evolution offer no evidence for their theories or claims
• This clause essentially advocates a view that there is a creator, therefore violating the Establishment Clause of the Constitution

Opponents of Removing the Clause:

• There are many gaps in the Theory of Evolution
• Students should be allowed to critically analyze evolutionary theory
• Fear removing the clause will essentially end the debate of evolution and shuts down any dissent

There is no doubt that whatever the decision the debate of creationism vs. evolution will continue. The SBOE has a difficult and controversial decision to make and I hope they make the decision that is in the best interest of the students of Texas.