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Critics Say Evolution Fight Not Over Yet

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - The state Board of Education voted Tuesday to add evolution to Florida's standards for teaching science to K-12 students, but defined it as a "scientific theory," a compromise that did little to appease opponents of the plan.

Both critics and supporters of the evolution standard complained on Tuesday that adding the words "scientific theory" was a political move that carried little practical significance. With opponents vowing now to take their case to the Legislature, the debate over teaching evolution in Florida may be far from over.

The plan approved Tuesday updates the current science curriculum standard, which has mandated the teaching of evolution using code words such as "change over time." The new standard explicitly requires teaching "the scientific theory of evolution," wording that the board adopted on a narrow 4-3 vote.

Evolution will not appear on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test until 2011-2012, when the science standards must be fully phased in and the state will adopt new science textbooks. Teachers, however, must begin adapting to the approved changes as early as the next school year, the state Department of Education said.

Hillsborough County school officials said they don't expect the board's decision to make much if any difference in what is taught in science classrooms as far as evolution.

"It's a total phase-in," said Mike Grego, Hillsborough schools assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "The standards are not going to be that different."

Hillsborough School Board chairwoman Jennifer Faliero agreed little will change. "What we are teaching is there is change over time. We will not be teaching any form of intelligent design."

'Children Should Learn Science'

Adding the words "scientific theory of" before "evolution" was an option that appeared in proposed changes released Friday before the holiday weekend. That raised complaints from board member Roberto Martinez, who criticized the changes for being written merely at the last minute to "placate" the opposition and "water down" a proposal that had support from the National Academy of Science.

Martinez said the compromise did not go through the rigorous vetting process that had produced the rest of the proposed standard, and did not have support from most of the experts who worked on it.

Although many opponents insisted otherwise, the Rev. Brant Copeland, a Presbyterian pastor from Tallahassee, suggested that the debate remains one between science and religious interpretation.

Copeland urged the board to adopt the standard as written by the experts.

"Children should learn science in science class, not religion in science class," Copeland said. "As a Christian, I am not threatened by what science can tell us about God's marvelous and ever-changing creation."

Republican state Rep. Marti Coley of Marianna testified in support of the compromise language, saying that it accurately conveyed the questions surrounding evolution. She was among the scant few, as most who raised concerns about the new standard asked the board to adopt an "academic freedom" revision, which couched evolution as follows:

"Evolution is a fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence and teachers should be permitted to engage students in a critical analysis of that evidence."

Terry Kemple of the Tampa Bay area, president and founder of the Community Issues Council, said that without this language, the state's proposal was dogmatic and "precludes investigation of any evidence that conflict with the claims being made."

Adding "scientific theory" does nothing to fix that, said Rich Akin, chief executive officer of Physicians and Surgeons for Scientific Integrity, which maintains that scientific evidence disproves evolution.

'They Made No Decision'

When the board chose not to take up the stronger language proposed by the activists, Akin said, "They basically made a decision to make no decision ... This is not over."

Akin and Kemple said they want lawmakers to take on the issue this spring during their legislative session. Kemple said about a half-dozen lawmakers have expressed interest in changing the newly adopted science standard, though he declined to name names.

"It's grandstanding," said Brandon Naught, communications director for Florida Citizens For Science, a group that applauded the addition of evolution to the science standard but wanted the board to do so without qualifying language.

Such attempts have been made in other state Legislatures, he said, but so far none has ever passed.

The state House of Representatives intends to pass legislation to create a "world-class curriculum," which some lawmakers said Tuesday could create a forum in committee for opponents to the evolution standard.

Reporter Marilyn Brown contributed to this report. Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or cdolinski@tampatrib.com.

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