Posted on 07/09/2003 12:08:32 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
FORT WORTH, Texas - (KRT) -
The long-running debate over the origins of mankind continues Wednesday before the Texas State Board of Education, and the result could change the way science is taught here and across the nation.
Local and out-of-state lobbying groups will try to convince the board that the next generation of biology books should contain new scientific evidence that reportedly pokes holes in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Many of those groups say that they are not pushing to place a divine creator back into science books, but to show that Darwin's theory is far from a perfect explanation of the origin of mankind.
"It has become a battle ground," said Eugenie Scott, executive director of theNational Center of Science Education, which is dedicated to defending the teaching of evolution in the classroom.
Almost 45 scientists, educators and special interest groups from across the state will testify at the state's first public hearing this year on the next generation of textbooks for the courses of biology, family and career studies and English as a Second Language.
Approved textbooks will be available for classrooms for the 2004-05 school year. And because Texas is the second largest textbook buyer in the nation, the outcome could affect education nationwide.
The Texas Freedom Network and a handful of educators held a conference call last week to warn that conservative Christians and special interest organizations will try to twist textbook content to further their own views.
"We are seeing the wave of the future of religious right's attack on basic scientific principles," said Samantha Smoot, executive director of the network, an anti-censorship group and opponent of the radical right.
Those named by the network disagree with the claim, including the Discovery Institute and its Science and Culture Center of Seattle.
"Instead of wasting time looking at motivations, we wish people would look at the facts," said John West, associate director of the center.
"Our goal nationally is to encourage schools and educators to include more about evolution, including controversies about various parts of Darwinian theory that exists between even evolutionary scientists," West said. "We are a secular think tank."
The institute also is perhaps the nation's leading proponent of intelligent design - the idea that life is too complex to have occurred without the help of an unknown, intelligent being.
It pushed this view through grants to teachers and scientists, including Michael J. Behe, professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. The Institute receives millions of dollars from philanthropists and foundations dedicated to discrediting Darwin's theory.
The center sent the state board a 55-page report that graded 11 high school biology textbooks submitted for adoption. None earned a grade above a C minus. The report also includes four arguments it says show that evolutionary theory is not as solid as presented in biology textbooks.
Discovery Institute Fellow Raymond Bohlin, who also is executive director of Probe Ministries, based in Richardson, Texas, will deliver that message in person Wednesday before the State Board of Education. Bohlin has a doctorate degree in molecular cell biology from the University of Texas at Dallas.
"If we can simply allow students to see that evolution is not an established fact, that leaves freedom for students to pursue other ideas," Bohlin said. "All I can do is continue to point these things out and hopefully get a group that hears and sees relevant data and insist on some changes."
The executive director of Texas Citizens for Science, Steven Schafersman, calls the institute's information "pseudoscience nonsense." Schafersman is an evolutionary scientist who, for more than two decades, taught biology, geology, paleontology and environmental science at a number of universities, including the University of Houston and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
"It sounds plausible to people who are not scientifically informed," Schafersman said. "But they are fraudulently trying to deceive board members. They might succeed, but it will be over the public protests of scientists."
The last time Texas looked at biology books, in 1997, the State Board of Education considered replacing them all with new ones that did not mention evolution. The board voted down the proposal by a slim margin.
The state requires that evolution be in textbooks. But arguments against evolution have been successful over the last decade in other states. Alabama, New Mexico and Nebraska made changes that, to varying degrees, challenge the pre-eminence of evolution in the scientific curriculum.
In 1999, the Kansas Board of Education voted to wash the concepts of evolution from the state's science curricula. A new state board has since put evolution back in. Last year, the Cobb County school board in Georgia voted to include creationism in science classes.
Texas education requirements demand that textbooks include arguments for and against evolution, said Neal Frey, an analyst working with perhaps Texas' most famous textbook reviewers, Mel and Norma Gabler.
The Gablers, of Longview, have been reviewing Texas textbooks for almost four decades. They describe themselves as conservative Christians. Some of their priorities include making sure textbooks include scientific flaws in arguments for evolution.
"None of the texts truly conform to the state's requirements that the strengths and weaknesses of scientific theories be presented to students," Frey said.
The Texas textbook proclamation of 2001, which is part of the standard for the state's curriculum, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, requires that biology textbooks instruct students so they may "analyze, review and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weakness using scientific evidence and information."
The state board is empowered to reject books only for factual errors or for not meeting the state's curriculum requirements. If speakers convince the state board that their evidence is scientifically sound, members may see little choice but to demand its presence in schoolbooks.
Proposed books already have been reviewed and approved by Texas Tech University. After a public hearing Wednesday and another Sept. 10, the state board is scheduled to adopt the new textbooks in November.
Satisfying the state board is only half the battle for textbook publishers. Individual school districts choose which books to use and are reimbursed by the state unless they buy texts rejected by the state board.
Districts can opt not to use books with passages they find objectionable. So when speakers at the public hearings criticize what they perceived as flaws in various books - such as failing to portray the United States or Christianity in a positive light - many publishers listen.
New books will be distributed next summer.
State Board member Terri Leo said the Discovery Institute works with esteemed scientists and that their evidence should be heard.
"You cannot teach students how to think if you don't present both sides of a scientific issue," Leo said. "Wouldn't you think that the body that has the responsibility of what's in the classroom would look at all scientific arguments?"
State board member Bob Craig said he had heard of the Intelligent Design theory.
"I'm going in with an open mind about everybody's presentation," Craig said. "I need to hear their presentation before I make any decisions or comments.
State board member Mary Helen Berlanga said she wanted to hear from local scientists.
"If we are going to discuss scientific information in the textbooks, the discussion will have to remain scientific," Berlanga said. "I'd like to hear from some of our scientists in the field on the subject."
Or science from the 500 b.c.? A wandering tribe of people came up with a creation story. It's science is flawed. No, it's not the end of the world. Jesus has a pretty decent idea of human moral ethics. Must I believe that Abraham married his 90 year old sister and started a line of chosen people to accept it? In your world view, yes. I disagree. You can call me wrong, but I am not the one stating that polar bears, and koala bears were gathered into a boat 3,500 years ago, so the onus is not on me. I am not the one who thinks that God is the provincial bloody murderer who condones slavery, child abuse, looting, and rape like the OT account. I like my odds that my view of God is more accurate as vague as it is. The vagueness is from not knowing. Yet, I strive. Just like the Neanderthals did before the Old Testament world was created. They died out, so shall I. Then, and only then will we know the truth.
However, the theory of gravity sure gets us in the end! LOL! (sag city) ROFL!
It's called "trolling." Fortunately, it takes two to tango.
There is Ed Brayton for instance who is still waiting for Hovind to have a written debate with him but as far as I can tell there's no positive feedback from Hovind yet.
Here is the response he gave to someone who asked why no one wants to have a public debate with Hovind:
Chris has already dealt with the factual claims in your letter. I'd like to deal with the last part, concerning "Dr" Hovind. I've had the experience of trying to arrange a debate with Kent Hovind, several years ago. After initially agreeing to everything, including the date, time and specific subject, he pulled out of the arrangement. It was a debate he had initially challenged ME to, after I had written to him to challenge him on the age of the earth and flood geology. Since that time, many people have challenged him to a written debate to be posted on the web where everyone can view it. He absolutely refuses to participate in a written debate. Why? The answer is obvious. It eliminates the advantages he has during an oral debate. I coached debate for several years, and his strategy is age old. Hovind's style is to spit out literally dozens and dozens of claims, no more than a sentence or two. They are always oversimplified, often just plain false, but by the time you've refuted the first one, 20 more have been thrown out like a machine gun. This used to be referred to as the "Gish Gallop", in honor of Duane Gish. These days I like to call it the Hovind Hustle. The audience during such a debate can't check a citation or reference because none is provided. But in a written debate, references can be demanded, offered, examined and refuted. The audience at one of his debates doesn't have the material on hand that shows that many of the arguments that Hovind uses were debunked even by creationists, sometimes decades ago. Hovind is very smooth and comfortable in front of an audience, and he can throw out arguments faster than a gatlin gun. But he avoids any forum where his arguments can be examined in any detail like a hemophiliac avoids paper cuts.This was taken from the Talk.Origins Archive Feedback for December 2002. There is also the original question and his e-mail address (it's two or three pages down from the top).As far as his offer is concerned, I have told him in e-mail, over the phone, and in person that his "challenge" is a transparent fraud. I have even offered, on the web where everyone, including him, can see it, that I would give him $1 million if he can prove ANY historical claim using the same criteria he used in his challenge. The reaction: total silence. Again, the reason is obvious. He knows that his challenge can't be met, ever, under any circumstances, by anyone trying to prove anything. It is a complete and utter fraud. And if you think this is "talking behind his back", rest assured that you are completely free to forward this to "Dr" Hovind, along with my e-mail address.
click the pic
It happened when both were created by the Creator.
A monkey and a man are two different species. There is NO EVIDENCE in this case, or any other case, of one species evolving into another. All the Church of Evolution can offer up are wild assumptions, artist paintings, bones carefully arranged to somehow try to make a case, faulty dating methods, etc.
Evolution is just another faith-based religion that has no place in our school system.
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