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Actor Stein Plays Role In Debate On Evolution Education

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BY CATHERINE DOLINSKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 13, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Hollywood lent some of its glitz Wednesday to the debate over teaching evolution in Florida, where a bill has lawmakers questioning the very meanings of science and freedom of speech.

Actor and writer Ben Stein joined conservative activists at the state Capitol for a news conference that dually promoted a controversial bill about teaching evolution and Stein's controversial documentary about educators who dare to dissent from Darwin- ism.

The "Academic Freedom Act" from Sen. Ronda Storms and Rep. Alan Hays would allow teachers to "objectively present scientific information relevant to the full range of scientific views regarding chemical and biological evolution."

Even opponents have said that sounds good, on its face. But they fear that it will open the door to teaching intelligent design, a theory that suggests an "intelligent cause" is responsible for the creation and ordering of the universe.

"The presumption of this bill is that all you have to do to teach something in a science class is to call it science," Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said in a statement. "Simply saying something is science does not make it so and calling Intelligent Design science, does not make is science."

It remains unclear whether the bill permits the teaching of intelligent design in public schools.

"The answer is no," said John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council. "This does not allow the permitting of alternate theories to be taught. It only allows the criticism and the presenting of relevant, objective scientific evidence which criticizes chemical or biological evolution."

That would seem to settle the question. Yet moments later, Casey Luskin, an attorney for the Seattle-based Discovery Institute said that even as he agreed with Stemberger, he personally considers intelligent design to be "scientific information."

All of which raises questions about what qualifies as "science" - and who, ultimately, decides.

Stein Says It's Intellectual Freedom

The Academic Freedom Act responds to the state's new science standards for public schools, which explicitly require the teaching of the theory of evolution.

Stein, who supports the bill, said it is not about teaching any particular viewpoint. "It's about freedom of speech," he said. "Freedom of inquiry, it's nothing more complicated than that."

The actor, and former speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, is preparing to release "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," his documentary about scientists and educators who have paid a price professionally for challenging natural selection and other premises of Darwinian evolution.

Some have been denied jobs or tenure; others cannot get their articles published, and many have been subject of ridicule, he said.

"Feel free to watch this film if you must, and I hope you do," Stein-as-narrator warns in the extended trailer for "Expelled" that he showed to reporters Wednesday. "But you've got to know that doing so could land you in a heap of trouble."

But Stein and the film's other makers refused to grant the media entry to a screening of the film for lawmakers Wednesday night.

The film's producers said that decision was made because of the current rough form of the film, which they are completing for release to all audiences April 18, but the exclusive screening only fueled attacks from the skeptics.

"We are deeply concerned that, however many legislators show up, they will be spoon-fed this material and mostly no one from the public will be there to see what goes on," said Brandon Haught, spokesman for Florida Citizens for Science.

Who Decides?

A Republican dentist from Umatilla, Hays said Wednesday that "we owe it to our teachers to prevent them from undue harassment, undue penalties and any other type of ostracism that might be coming their way."

Dissenting teachers in Texas, Minnesota and Washington have experienced exactly that, Luskin said.

Storms, R-Brandon, stressed the very language of the bill, which "shall not be construed to promote religious doctrine."

Asked whether intelligent design qualifies as "scientific," Storms was more circumspect. Anything that "legitimately provides for a scientific critique of the theory of evolution" should be permitted for discussion, she said.

The ambiguity concerns Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz. "I don't want that rubric to become a subterfuge for teaching faith-based lessons, which really belong in Sunday School."

He suggested that Storms and Hays amend their bill to include a review process for the "scientific information" that teachers want to introduce in class concerning evolution.

"It's an academic freedom act," Storms said when asked about the idea. "A science teacher is legitimately able to say, this is the range of scientific debate."

Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or cdolinski@tampatrib.com

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