November 19, 2004, Hour One: Teaching Evolution

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > November > November 19, 2004:
Hour One: Teaching Evolution

A Pennsylvania school board has mandated that an idea called "intelligent design" be taught along with evolution in its public schools. Although other districts have allowed for the teaching of alternative theories of the origins of life, the vote by the Dover Area School District (near York, PA) is thought to be the first in the country to require teachers to include the idea of 'intelligent design' in the curriculum. Several school board members have resigned in protest over the vote, and a court case may be in the works.

In this hour of Science Friday, we'll talk about the Dover, PA case, as well as other recent battles over teaching evolution. Legal arguments have just ended in Cobb County, Georgia, where it is now up to a judge to decide if stickers placed on biology textbooks--warning readers that "evolution is a theory, not a fact"--are legal.Will the way science is taught be decided in the courts? Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern).

Guests:
Kenneth Miller
Author, "Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution " (HarperCollins, 1999)
Co-Author, "Biology" (high school textbook, Prentice Hall, 2002)
Professor, Biology
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Charles Haynes
Senior Scholar and Director of Education Programs
First Amendment Center
Arlington, Virginia

David K. DeWolf
Attorney
Professor of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
Spokane, Washington

Nick Matzke
Public Information Project Specialist
National Center for Science Education
Oakland, California

Jeff Brown
Carol Brown
Board Members (recently resigned)
Dover Area School District
Dover, Pennsylvania

This segment produced by Annette Heist

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Books/Articles Discussed:
"Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution "by Kenneth Miller. HarperCollins, 1999.

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)