Fort Worth Weekly factually challenged when it comes to intelligent design and Darwinian evolution

This story by Laurie James Barker in the Fort Worth Weekly completely misrepresents not just the important issue of how evolution is taught in Texas, but also the views and policy positions of Discovery Institute. Ms. Barker didn’t bother to talk with anyone at Discovery Institute, or it seems to even adequately research our organization. Never mind that she’s produced an extremely biased polemical piece, as opposed to objective reporting of the issue. There are numerous factual errors, errors of omission and such, but for brevity I will simply focus on a few of her mistakes.

Biden, Clinton, Edwards, Kerry, McCain (in 2001) Agree: High School Curriculum Should Inform Students About the Evolution Controversy; Palin (in 2006) Lets It Be Optional

Press reports on Governor Palin as the Republican nominee for Vice President featured her position in 2006 on the teaching of alternatives to evolution: “Teach both. You know, don’t be afraid of education. Healthy debate is so important, and it’s so valuable in our schools.” Palin later clarified: “I don’t think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.” On this thin reed stand accusations that Palin is a “creationist.” But if that makes someone a “creationist,” then the ranks of the creationists include the Democratic party’s 2008 nominee for Vice-President, both of its 2008 runners-up for the Presidential nomination, and both its 2004 nominees for Read More ›

Back to School With Explore Evolution

As students around the country gear up to head back to classes and homework, some of them will be learning the complete story of evolution for the first time.Adopted by secondary schools and colleges, Explore Evolution (Hill House Publishers, 2007), the first biology textbook to present the arguments for and against neo-Darwinism, is invigorating the study of biology for a new generation of budding scientists. While we’ve documented several textbooks which teach bogus information to students, it’s good to remember that there are texts out there that not only teach correct and current information on evolution, but do so in a way that gets young minds involved and interested in the exciting questions of science.

Prominent Atheist Professor of Law and Philosophy Thomas Nagel Calls Intelligent Design Scientific and Constitutional to “Mention” in Science Classes

Prof. Thomas Nagel, a self-declared atheist who earned his PhD. in philosophy at Harvard 45 years ago, who has been a professor at U.C. Berkeley, Princeton, and the last 28 years at New York University, and who has published ten books and more than 60 articles, has published an important essay, “Public Education and Intelligent Design,” in the Wiley InterScience Journal Philosophy & Public Affairs, Vol. 36, issue 2, on-line at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118493933/home (fee for access US $29.95). Prof. Nagel’s paper is a significant and substantial opening, at America’s highest intellectual level, that encourages all intelligent, educated, informed individuals — particularly those whose interest in this issue derives from intellectual curiosity, not the emotional advocacy excitement for any side — that Read More ›

ENV Welcomes New Contributor Edward Sisson

Evolution News & Views is pleased to welcome new contributor Ed Sisson to our team. Ed has long been involved in the battle for academic freedom. You may remember him from the Kansas state board of education’s hearings on science standards in 2005 or as Dr. Caroline Crocker’s pro-bono attorney when she was ousted from George Mason University for teaching some of the scientific evidence that challenges Darwinian evolution. We highlighted a series of Youtube videos featuring Ed earlier this year. Ed’s biography, in his own words: