Welcome to NSTA's WebNews Analysis, a monthly feature to help science educators monitor and study the latest issues in education and science. The NSTA WebNews Analysis offers teachers a digest of online news articles focusing on a particular issue of importance to science educators.
We hope this new service will enable you to catch up on the news you may have missed during the past month. More importantly, however, NSTA's WebNews Analysis can help you stay on top of issues affecting your science classroom. Don't forget to look for NSTA's WebNews Analysis on the last Friday of every month!
Teaching Evolution
The subject of how to teach evolution and whether alternative views should be presented to the theory have been controversial topics debated for many years. The month of September proved to be no different.
Teachers, scientists, and religious leaders in Texas, for example, voiced mixed reactions Sept. 10 over how students should learn evolution through biology textbooks. The Discovery Institute is leading a campaign to change the language of biology textbooks so that they present weaknesses to the theory of evolution. Several scientists and public watchdog groups argue that an attempt to discredit Darwin's evolution theory in textbooks is a "scheme to later persuade publishers to include religious-based explanations for the origins of life." The Texas Board of Education has no say over textbook content, but can reject books that do not follow the state curriculum. Texas law has required the theory of evolution in textbooks since 1991. The board is scheduled to make a final decision on the books in November.
Michigan lawmakers and religious leaders are also debating creationism and the theory of evolution. Legislation introduced by state Rep. Kenneth Bradstreet would revise the state code to allow middle and high school students to study intelligent design as an alternative to the theory of evolution.
School board members in California's Roseville Joint Union High School District agreed Sept. 2 to let each school decide how to teach evolution instead of forming a districtwide policy. Trustee Jim Joiner, who made the recommendation, noted that people who want to change the teaching of evolution should follow the same process used for making other decisions related to classroom instruction. He explained the process starts with an idea from teachers, parents, and administrators. Parent-teacher groups then approve the idea before bringing the issue to the school board for districtwide approval.