Creeping Creationism

Council of State Science Supervisors

March 26, 2003, NSTA

Eugenie C. Scott, Ph.D.

National Center for Science Education, Inc

Oakland, CA

www.NCSEWeb.org

TX MI

PA WA

SC GA

NE OH

IL WV

WI OK

MS AL

January- March, 2003 Flareups”

OK: HB 1504

MS: HB 1397

KS: SB 168

TX: HB 1172, HB 1447

January- March, 2003 Antievolution legislation

http://www.ncseweb.org

http://www.ncseweb.org

“Pillars of Creationism”

Evolution is a “theory in crisis”

It’s only “fair” to teach creationism with evolution (Equity)

Evolution and religion are incompatible

Edwards v. Aguillard, 1987

Teaching a variety of scientific theories about humankind to schoolchildren might be validly done with the clear secular intent of enhancing the effectiveness of science instruction.

Edwards v. Aguillard, 1987

“already possess” a “flexibility...to supplant the present science curriculum with the presentation of theories, besides evolution, about the origin of life” (p. 8) Justice Brennan

Edwards v. Aguillard, 1987

(teachers are free to teach…)

…any and all scientific theories [about the origin of humankind.]

Justice Brennan

Georgia HB 391, 2001

“to present and critique any and all scientific theories” about “the origins of life and living things, including the origins of humankind.”

Kanawha County, WV, 1999

Be it resolved by the Kanawha County Board of Education that all teachers are hereby advised that they may teach any and all subjects and theories in their respective subject areas, including but not limited to, theories for and against the theory of evolution, so long as the following criteria are observed: