Science

Fla. Evolution Foes Try a Fresh Tactic

By Sean Cavanagh — March 25, 2008 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Having done battle unsuccessfully with the mainstream scientific community, critics of evolution’s now officially enshrined place in Florida science classes are regrouping with a line of argument more commonly heard in academe.

Two state lawmakers have introduced a proposal, titled the Academic Freedom Act, that they say is aimed at protecting the rights of teachers who “present scientific information” about “the full range of scientific views” on evolution.

Opponents see it as an attempt to introduce religiously based concepts, such as “intelligent design” or creationism, into public school science classes under the banner of academic freedom. The bill says it would not promote religious doctrine of any sort.

See Also

See other stories on education issues in Florida. See data on Florida’s public school system.

The proposal comes weeks after the Florida state board of education—over the objections of some religious groups—approved revised academic standards that strongly support the teaching of evolution. (“Fla. Panel’s Evolution Vote Hailed,” Feb. 27, 2008.)

Companion bills, introduced by Sen. Ronda Storms and Rep. Alan Hays, both Republicans, would keep K-12 teachers from being disciplined or terminated, and students from being “penalized,” for presenting their positions on evolution.

Joe Wolf, the president of Florida Citizens for Science, which opposes the bills, notes that they strongly resemble model legislation supported by the Discovery Institute, a pro-intelligent-design group based in Seattle.

If the move to let evolution opponents cite academic freedom becomes law, “some teachers will step over the line and teach religion,” Mr. Wolf said. “Some are going to get sued.”

But Casey Luskin, a program officer for the Discovery Institute, said the Florida bill is necessary. “Today, it’s the teachers and students who are raising questions about [Charles] Darwin’s theory [of evolution] who are being stifled,” he said via e-mail.

Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers were among those who attended a private showing in Tallahassee March 12 of “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” a new, pro-intelligent-design documentary. The narrator, actor Ben Stein, raises the academic freedom argument in the film. (“Coming Soon: Movie Backs ‘Intelligent Design’,” Feb. 27, 2008.)

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the March 26, 2008 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Achievement Webinar
Scaling Tutoring through Federal Work Study Partnerships
Want to scale tutoring without overwhelming teachers? Join us for a webinar on using Federal Work-Study (FWS) to connect college students with school-age children.
Content provided by Saga Education
School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Science One Change That Can Get More Girls, Students of Color Taking Computer Science
Making computer science classes a graduation requirement can be a powerful strategy.
5 min read
Two teen girls, one is a person of color and the other is white, building something in a science robotics class.
iStock/Getty
Science A Marine Science Program in a Surprising Place Shows Students New Career Options
It's hard to find teachers for STEM subjects, but a school system in a landlocked state has found a way to make it work with marine science.
5 min read
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024.
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024. The Iowa school system has had a hands-on program for three decades that has introduced students to career possibilities in aquarium science, marine biology, and related fields.
Rachel Mummey for Education Week
Science The Biggest Barriers to STEM Education, According to Educators
Educators share the challenges schools face in teaching STEM.
1 min read
Photograph of a diverse group of elementary school kids, with a white male teacher, working on a robot design in the classroom
E+
Science The Grades Where Science Scores Have Taken the Biggest Hit
One of the first studies to examine science performance finds that elementary students' scores have rebounded. Not so in middle school.
4 min read
An illustration of a non person of color climbing a large pencil with a safety harness and rope tied around the tip of the pencil while a person of color is in the distance without a safety harness or rope attempting to climb a very large science beaker.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva