Attempting to narrowly define science as materialism is just as dangerous. Evolution is not scary at all but then again teaching children that they are no better than Apes can not help disuade children from behaving like them.
Yes, but we clearly are not "no better than apes". We're just related to them, is all. Whether or not children get that kind of implicit moral message from learning about evolution depends on what kind of worldview gets smuggled in along with the lesson by the teacher.
(And no, I don't mean a religious vs. secular worldview. I'm thinking of a rational vs. PETA-style, every species is equal envirowacko worldview.)