Alabama wants to promote 'scientific literacy' by omitting evolution
from its school science curriculum. All I can do is shake my head and be
very glad that I don't live there.


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Science Curriculum Approved for State


Feb. 11--Amid protest and praise, the State Board of Education approved
a revised science curriculum for Alabama schools with little mention of
evolution at its monthly board meeting Thursday morning.

Wayne Ray, superintendent of Russellville City Schools and chairman of
the science curriculum committee, said he was pleased with efforts of
his committee and the board's approval.

"I present to you a document that is developmentally sound, accurate in
content, and, when mastered by students, promotes scientific literacy,"
Ray told the state board.

Despite the committee's efforts, though, opponents like John
Schweinsberg, a Huntsville resident, said the curriculum is missing a
key science theory -- evolution.

"I believe (evolution was) left out for religious reasons," said
Schweinsberg, who said he holds a master's degree in science.

"Evolution is the basis of modern principles of biology. It's just as
basic to biology as the periodic table is to chemistry. Teaching biology
without evolution is like teaching chemistry without the periodic table."

Evolution is Darwin's theory on the origin of the human race through the
progression of time.

Schweinsberg said he compared the 2005 science curriculum to previous
years and he said it only mentions evolution once, whereas in other
years, it was mentioned throughout the curriculum.

"In Alabama and the Bible Belt, there's a lot of religious sensitivity
on this issue," Schweinsberg said. "I think basically it's easiest to
avoid it rather than confront it. The school cannot require someone to
believe something that goes against their religious beliefs, but they
should at least know (about evolution).

They still have the right to reject science for religious reasons."

On the other hand, school officials spoke in favor of the revised
curriculum. Terri Bowman, president-elect of the Alabama Science
Teachers Association, praised the majority of the curriculum -- the only
exception stemmed from the sixth- through eighth- grades. That
curriculum, she said, has some middle school teachers concerned that it
may reduce the participation of women and minority students in the
sciences.

"Change is like learning, it's painful sometimes," Ray said. "The
decision of the committee was studied long and hard -- it's the right
decision. I think it's going to be better for students of Alabama."

Ray said the committee's challenge was to help Alabama students achieve
scientific literacy.

Jim Methvin, a member of the prior two science curriculum committees and
2002 state science textbook committee, supported the curriculum changes.
He said much of the curriculum in reference to evolution remained the
same.

"Wording in content standards for evolution is just about all the same
wording used in content standards from the 1994 and 2001 course of
study," said Methvin, a Homewood resident. "(The revised curriculum)
does address its goals of scientific literacy and critical thinking
skills."

As far as classroom application of the new curriculum, Tamzen Williams,
a science teacher at Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, said time
-- not evolution -- will present a challenge to implementing the new
curriculum. She favors longer class periods.

"The only negative aspect that would affect the new curriculum is the
traditional schedule," said Williams, who teaches human anatomy, college
preparatory and general chemistry, and biology. "It needs to go back to
block schedule. It benefits all science classes."


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http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=126927
--
John Hachmann aa #1782

Intelligent Design has as much to do with science as reality
television has to do with reality. - Barry Lynn on CNN 12/25/04

Alabama wants to promote 'scientific literacy' by omitting evolution from
its school science curriculum. All I can do is shake my head and be very
glad that I don't live there.

Subject: Alabama won't teach evolution.