Ohio Poll: 3 to 1 Margin Supports Teaching Evolution Controversy

DISCOVERY INSITITUTE NEWS ^ | 02/13/2006

[SirLinksalot]

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Ohio 2006 Poll Results Executive Summary

By: Staff
Discovery Institute
February 13, 2006

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This was a telephone survey of Ohio likely voters conducted by Zogby International 2/2/06 thru 2/3/06. The target sample is [601] interviews. The margin of error is +/- 4.1 percentage points.

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Click here to see the complete poll results.

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Which of the following two statements come closest to your own opinion?
A) Biology teachers should teach only Darwin’s theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it.
B) Biology teachers should teach Darwin’s theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it.
C) Neither/Not Sure

In 2006 in Ohio:
A = 19%
B = 68.8%
C = 12%

In 2002 in Ohio:
A = 19%
B = 65%
C = 16


Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statement: “When Darwin’s theory of evolution is taught in school, students should also be able to learn about scientific evidence that points to an intelligent design of life.”
1. Strongly agree 2. Somewhat agree 3. Somewhat disagree 4. Strongly disagree 5. Not sure

In 2006 in Ohio:
1. Strongly agree 56.4%
2. Somewhat agree 19.3% Agree 75.7%
3. Somewhat disagree 5.0%
4. Strongly disagree 13.0% Disagree 18%
5. Not sure 5.9%

In 2002 in Ohio:
Strongly agree 55%
Somewhat agree 23% Agree 78%
Somewhat disagree 3.0%
Strongly disagree 10% Disagree 13%
Not sure 9.0%


Some other interesting findings:

Of those that agreed: Biology teachers should teach Darwin’s theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it.

• 78.6% of Republicans agreed, 58.6% of Democrats agreed, and 67% of Independents agreed.
  
• 70% of men agreed, and 67.8% of women.
  
• 51% had some high school, 69% graduated high school, 67.8% had some college, 70% had college degrees.

Of those that agreed: When Darwin’s theory of evolution is taught in school, students should also be able to learn about scientific evidence that points to an intelligent design of life.

• 84.3% of Republicans agreed, 66.2% of Democrats and 75.2% of Independents agreed.
  
• 73.1 of men agreed, and 78.1% of women.
  
• 67.2% had some high school, 81% graduated high school, 82.5% had some college, 69.6% had college degrees.

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Click here to see the complete poll results.

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Discovery Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan, public policy think tank headquartered in Seattle and dealing with national and international affairs. For more information, browse Discovery's Web site at:
http://www.discovery.org.

[editor-surveyor]

What? Teach the truth in school? - What good would schools be then? I thought that schools were for destroying everything that has made this country great, and we can't accomplish that without teaching the lie of evolution.

[editor-surveyor]

If they only taught science, the philosophy of evolution would die out in a few weeks.

[Dan(9698)]

It is also true that future refinements of evolutionary theory will likely account for any discrepancies.

That is as strong a statement of faith as I have seen.

[editor-surveyor]

"Gould merely showed that the fossil record confirms this hypothesis."

You must be speaking of a different Stephen Gould than the one that wrote Wonderful Life, since in that book he plainly stated that Darwin's theory was in complete 180 degree disagreement with the observable fossil evidence.

Gould even went so far as to dub the fossil record as a "cone of decreasing diversity" rather than the "cone of increasing diversity that is required by Darwin."

[LiteKeeper]

More importantly, it is critical that students be taught how to think critically. It is crazy to mandate that discussion of all sides of an issue must be supressed. It is crazy to mandate the party line, and to hold it above criticism.

If I am not mistaken, that violates the very Scientific Method the evolutionists hold to be so sacred. What hypocrisy!

[editor-surveyor]

Still posting your misdirection and outreight lies, huh?

Patrick Henry's list of propaganda, opinion and dreams is so worn out that it makes dust come out of our monitors.

[caffe]

I just love the way these so called conservative evolutionists support the judiciary over the parents when it comes to educating our children!!

Why are Darwin's monkey's so afraid of a little competition!

[Coyoteman]

Sunrise?

[Havoc]

Very interesting when put next to the CBS poll. 55% believe a God only model of creation in America. 27% believe in a mix of God + evolution. That is 82% of respondents. That tells you that at least part of the 27% who believe a mix want to hear the pros and cons. Interesting. I wonder how many in the evolutionist camp wanted to hear the evidence against..

[Havoc]

Anyone ever seen the "National Center for Science Education"?
It's a hole in the wall.

[Havoc]

Nah, it was accurate enough. Propaganda is what you call it because you don't like the challenge.

[RunningWolf]

Great picture.

The cloud formations look more like sunset to me.

Unfortunately however, now you have exposed yourself to a pummeling from the tribe of evos for having a creationist earth centric POV of the world.. Any minute now she should deploy the ping list on you.

It is nothing really. A grudging homage it is.

I was on VI, then there were sidebar conversations to make sure I knew I was on VI, then I even made the official VI ignore list on a most Excellent Profs profile page, and might have even made it to his official blog list for a day or two. Recently fantasies of the Wolf's demise have been entertained. heh heh.., heh heh heh.., snort.

But great picture though.

Wolf

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[mlc9852]

Actually the only thing I know about it is Eugenie Scott runs it. That's all I need to know.:)

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

You have a problem being objective. It should have been worded thusly...

Which of the following two statements come closest to your own opinion?
A) Biology teachers should teach only darwinian evolution theology, and the monkey god and soup creation myths, so your children can become athiest communists.
B) Biology teachers should teach the above crap, but also the Christian religious tradition.
C) Teach only the Christian tradition
D) Neither/Not Sure

[Elsie]

I just HATE it when real people have a voice in what is going on!!

-- EvoDude

[Elsie]

All the so-called "evidence" against evolution is nothing but a bunch of logical fallacies, misrepresentations, and outright lies concocted by people who can't accept evolution for religious reasons.

OH?

[Elsie]

First of all, punctuated equilibrium is taught in schools.

Better straighten him out... ;^)

[Elsie]

OOPs!
I pinged the wrong "C" fellow!

[cogitator]

chuckle. Thanks for your perspective.