>>If your assertions are correct there would be a corresponding difficulty across the disciplines.
But there does not seem to be the same problem with chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, physics etc...
Why is evolution the exception?<<
Because it may not be the sole exception and it is the only scientific discipline attacked by religious zealots who introduce foolish notions such as “intelligent design.”
My analogy still holds. Why is American History and the USC so difficult to teach and understand?
Might it be people with another agenda have poisoned the waters?
And why geology gets a pass is beyond me — if the Earth is only 6,000 years old, Continental Drift is a huge problem.
But the inability to teach and understand something (which has been understood by grade school kids for 50+ years) means nothing to the actual theory.
“it is the only scientific discipline attacked by religious zealots who introduce foolish notions...”
Yet, you provide another example: “...if the Earth is only 6,000 years old...”
Geology is attacked just as much by young Earth proponents.
In fact, all sorts of sciences are “attacked” by pseudoscience.
It’s interesting that evolution is the only discipline that feels threatened and where the practitioners in the field are defensive and feel compelled to respond.