Monday, August 14, 2006
You can just tell that they probably have never had evolution in science class
The Kansas State Board of Education’s return to moderate hands could reshape current science standards, but the state’s reputation might not be fixed as quickly.
The results of the state primary elections held on Aug. 1 will give the board a 6-4 moderate majority in January. The board is predicted to reverse current science standards removing anti-evolution teachings from science classrooms.
When Janet Waugh, democratic victor in District 1, which includes eastern Lawrence, said that when she resumed her position on the board state science standards would be one of the first issues addressed.
Waugh said she supported both evolution and creationism being taught in the appropriate settings. Waugh said that the current conservative board’s decision to include criticism of the theory of evolution in its science curriculum had made the state a laughing stock.
“I think it’s unfair and tragic because the reality is we rank in the top 10 of the nation in every category educationally, but if we continue the path we were on with radicals and conservatives, I think the ranking would be lower,” Waugh said.
Rob Weaver, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, whose discipline is molecular biology, also said the reputation of Kansas had been tarnished.
We don’t have the tools to research God
Weaver said that tarnished image had affected the University in two ways.
First, he said that professor recruitment suffered. He said the University needed the best possible professors, but if the best were reluctant to apply because of the social controversy, then students would suffer.
“If I was in my 30s and looking for a job, I wouldn’t apply,” he said. “But KU is a hotbed for evolution study.”
Secondly, he said incoming college students were missing a piece of their science education if they weren’t taught that evolution was a valid theory.
Liza Holeski, Rio Grande, Ohio, ecology and evolutionary biology graduate student, teaches entry-level biology classes at the University. She has found that many of her undergraduate students never discussed evolution in high school.
“You can just tell that they probably have never had evolution in science class,” she said. “The word itself has a stigma because of the debate that’s been going on for so long.”
Steve Case, ecology and evolutionary biology professor, said that no scientific debate existed and that it was a controversy manufactured by society.
Students aren’t stupid... If you lie to them they will know and it will destroy your credibility.
Case said that although many scientific theories were disproved given time, the theories of evolution had not been met with any sound competing evidence. He said God had suddenly become a testable object, which he said was a problem with Intelligent Design. Instead of limiting science to natural phenomena, he said current standards opened up science testing to everything, including prayer.
“We don’t have the tools to research God,” Case, a former religion teacher, said.
Case is also the chairman of the science committee that writes curriculum standards for grades K-12. Case said the standards defined the word science so teachers could easily explain it to their students.
“Students aren’t stupid,” he said. “If you lie to them they will know and it will destroy your credibility.”
Steve Abrams, conservative republican and chairman of the board, said he would like to see the current standards continue.
“I think any time you put forth science standards formed in a dogmatic fashion it is a step backwards,” he said. “I’m not in favor of scripture being taught in classes. I support only good peer-reviewed, empirical science standards and those things don’t support evolution.”
Kansan staff writer Erin Castaneda can be contacted at ecastaneda@kansan.com.
— Edited by Erin Wiley
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