Kansas Headed For Another Evolution Debate
Associated Press - Wed 03:13 PM 06/06/2012
Board to receive an update about the work on the science standards
Kansas is headed toward another debate over how evolution is taught in its public schools.
State Board of Education member Ken Willard, a Hutchinson Republican, said Wednesday that he's troubled by common science standards being drafted by Kansas and other states. Those standards describe evolution as a well-established core scientific concept.
The board is scheduled to receive an update about the work on the science standards at its meeting next week. Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker said the board could see a final draft by the end of the year.
In the past, Willard has supported science standards that have incorporated material questioning evolution. The board's latest, evolution-friendly standards were adopted in 2007 and supplanted the standards Willard supported.
State law requires the science standards to be reviewed by 2014.
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wasteland_sage
Wednesday 6 June 2012 16:17 Report this comment
You're kidding me. We already teach that crazy crap known as "Intelligent Design" which is the love child between religious fanatics and the ignorance of "creationism." Now they are fighting that evolution isn't a "core" scientific concept? It's as much of a theory as gravity as. If I were to teach intelligent design it would be about aliens. They are just as much fact as any religious belief system. Though based on statistics I would believe in Aliens far before I would believe in a religious deity. This state is ridiculous and so educationally backwards that it pains me to think of all the children we are raising. GAH! It's just so darned frustrating to think that people are still afraid of the fact that evolution is based on proven scientific data. Yes we really did evolve from Monkeys. You did, I did and so did every other human on the planet.
wasteland_sage
Wednesday 6 June 2012 16:38 Report this comment
And one more thing: "The beauty of Science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." - Neil deGrasse Tyson (American astrophysicist)
SalinaSenior
Wednesday 6 June 2012 19:38 Report this comment
If these fanatics want to force Christianity on children, they should mandate religious classes in public schools. DO NOT CALL IT SCIENCE THOUGH.
masterjace
Thursday 7 June 2012 06:11 Report this comment
Kansas just wants to prove its ignorance and superstations to the rest of the world. Science is what it is, you cannot water it down or make it go away, and currently it just makes you look even ignorant to try. I suggest we get psychological evaluations for everyone that wants to try to preach creationism. Last time I checked it was 2012 not 412, we are way past the dark ages and I do not want a repeat. Though you would never know, by the way some people act around this and other states. They are just begging to bring back the inquisitions and prove how much they love there god by how much they are willing to torture, maim, and kill others in his name.
smokey99
Thursday 7 June 2012 09:19 Report this comment
Just a couple of thoughts from the brilliance of wasteland sage: Why were these "monkeys", or I guess we should call them "SUPER MONKEYS" the only species on earth that "evolved" forward into human beings. Of the MILLIONS of species of living creatures on the planet, these Super Monkeys were the only ones capable of evolving. I am not trying to shove my beliefs on anyone. We all die, and one day wasteland.....it will become painfully obvious to you....that you were never a monkey. (Well, in the sense we are talking about here)..lol And finally, let me finish Neil de Grasse Tyson's wonderful words of wisdom..."The beauty of Science is that it's true whether you believe it or not....because you can believe ANYTHING you want to be true if you tell yourself it is... long enough"
SalinaSenior
Thursday 7 June 2012 12:39 Report this comment
smokey99 has no clue what evolution actually is and how it works. See that's the problem with not teaching what science really is.
OhBrother
Thursday 7 June 2012 12:52 Report this comment
No one is saying that any individual is descended from a monkey, they are saying that the preponderance of the evidence known to science is that at some point primates including humans shared a common ancestor. We aren't the only human species to develop, there were others such as Neanderthals that were closely related. This is no different than looking at a house cat and a mountain lion and believing they had a common ancestor. None of this either supports or refutes the existence of God although you can use it that way if you want I suppose. Evolution is theory because it can never be completely proven. Other theories such as the Big Bang can't be proven in scientific terms. The causes of gravity are not completely settled. Evolution should be taught in school as the generally accepted explanation of how modern humans appeared. Students should also be taught about holes in the current theory and they should be taught that there are things that science can not and will not be able to prove.
smokey99
Thursday 7 June 2012 12:52 Report this comment
Ok Salina Senior.....Why dont you show me/us how brilliant you are. Why dont you share your wealth of knowledge on the subject. (This ought to be good! lol )
SalinaSenior
Thursday 7 June 2012 15:45 Report this comment
I actually agree with Ohbrother. @smokey99 that is not my job. Why don't you go back to school or look it up on google. You are distorting and oversimplifying evolution. No one claims we are from monkeys. It is about our common ancestry.