Senator: Teach evolution alternative
Critics say move would taint perception of Florida's schools
By ABEL HARDING - St Augustine Record, 3/16/2011
Stephen wise
Florida could soon find itself at the center of a century-old fight over the teaching of evolution in public school classrooms.
State Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, is leading a charge that calls for a "thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution."
Critics say that Wise's legislation could open the door for teachers and students to challenge evolution, which they say is settled science.
"You can have critical analysis of everything, but the idea that you should single out evolution for critical analysis is problematic," said Joshua Rosenau, programs and policy director at California-based National Center for Science Education. "It's recognized by the scientific community as the foundation of modern biology."
Wise, who did not return numerous calls over two days, said last week that his bill is merely intended to allow freedom in Florida classrooms.
"Why would you not teach both theories at the same time?" Wise told the Tampa Tribune. He called the other theory "nonevolution."
But experts like Rosenau say Wise's argument doesn't hold water. And they say it could put the international perception of Florida's public education, already reeling from the talk of draconian budget cuts and its effect on the state.
"To prepare people to be educated citizens -- they need to have an understanding of evolution," he said. "To undermine that is a problem. I think it could hurt students."
Rosenau said the state has strong science standards that took effect in 2008. Those standards say "evolution is the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence."
Wise has tried to fight those guidelines before. After filing a similar bill in 2009, he questioned the theory of evolution during a radio interview on Tampa's WNMF.
"The person says ... we came from apes. Why do we still have apes if we came from them?" Wise asked.
His efforts failed in 2009, but the legislation may fall upon receptive ears in a more conservative statehouse. A companion bill has been filed in the House by Rep. Michael Bileca, a South Florida Republican.
If the efforts are successful, a legal battle is all but certain.
"The mischief that this legislation does is that it tries to entice local county school boards into violating the constitution," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.
"Sen. Wise is trying to entice county school boards and he's putting the liability on them."
Simon pointed to a 2005 Pennsylvania legal battle involving the Dover Area School District as an example of what school districts in Florida might face.
That case, which was spurred by the district's adoption of an anti-evolution theory called "intelligent design," resulted in a 40-day trial that ultimately cost the school system a $2.8 million legal bill. A federal judge, an appointee of President George W. Bush, found intelligent design to be creationism, "not science."
Both Simon and Rosenau said the subject was more appropriate for a comparative religion or American history class.
"It's dressed-up religion masquerading as science," Simon said. "The issue isn't whether you can teach it, it's where you can teach it."
