The controversy over whether pre-college school standards in Florida should include mention of evolution has come to a somewhat unsatisfactory conclusion. New science standards voted in by the state education board will mention evolution, but only as a theory (Reuters).
Board member Roberto Martinez was unhappy about the addition of the word theory: “We’re watering down the best possible standards we could have.” Others disagreed, with fellow board member Donna Callaway saying the change was “a very minimal addition” (AP, or watch the video archive of the debate). There’s a nice run down of Martinez vs Callaway on the Orlando Sentinel blog:
Callaway said, “You’re saying there is only one theory.”
Martinez: “I say that evolution is a fact and it is a fundamental fact.”
Callaway: “There is a great difference of opinion in the world…There may be other theories … This is a point of debate.”
Martinez: “It’s not a point of debate or controversy in the mainstream scientific community.”
The Miami Herald also has some great quotes from them, including this frankly baffling one from Callaway: “If we decide that we’re going to hide this debate and we’re going to hide the controversy, and we’re going to hide the fact that thousands of people disagree, then we better get with the witness protection program.”
Approved by four votes to three, the new standards are getting a reasonable response so far among supporters of the teaching of evolution (aka people who understand science). Comments from blogosphere below the fold…
“It’s okay. They basically superimposed themselves on the experts, but that’s part of the political process,” says Robert Meisels, a chemistry professor at the University of South Florida (The Ledger).
“It is one small step forward, at least,” says biologist PZ Myers. “I’ll take it. It’s still ludicrous that the creationists think they achieved something by attaching the ‘theory’ dog-whistle to the agreement.”
“If creationists thought they were undermining evolution by calling it a theory, they just demonstrated their own scientific illiteracy. Florida kids benefit from this, and teachers do as well,” says Joshua Rosenau, biologist and employee of the pro-evolution National Center for Science Education..
“To placate these equivocators, the board decided to remind everyone that it is a scientific theory. Not a bad concession, but why not remind them that gravity is just a theory too?” asks astronomy major Jon Voisey.
Not so happy was another biologist, Wesley Elsberry: “We know from prior experience that when one agrees to language from the anti-science advocates, they have some angle for exploitation of that language. While Florida standards now do mandate the teaching of evolutionary science, they also have the antievolution back-door installed. There will be further years of dealing with antievolution efforts in Florida because of this action.”
Meanwhile, in the people who don’t understand science camp the Discovery Institute warns: “While it is good that students will learn about evolution, these standards will make for bad science education because they elevate Darwin’s theory to a dogma that cannot be questioned.”
Image: Florida, slightly more friendly towards science this morning / NASA Visible Earth