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Leading Science-Denial Group, National Center for Science Education, Taps New Executive Director to Succeed Eugenie Scott

Reid Scott.jpg

In the U.S., the National Center for Science Education heads the science-denial effort that seeks to present Darwinian theory to public school students as uncontested and uncontestable. Now stepping down as NCSE’s executive director, Eugenie Scott has been insisting for 27 years on the non-existence of what is in fact a major debate among mainstream scientists about the evidence for Darwinism, going right down to the foundations of the theory. "I’m a scientist," says Dr. Scott, referring to her training in anthropology, "I don’t know any evidence against evolution."

After a long tenure, scoring victories such as the one that seems likely to go down in Texas this week, she will be hard to replace. What the NCSE really needed was a clone. And it looks like they think they’ve found one. According to an announcement by the group, microbiologist Ann Reid will follow Eugenie Scott as executive director. That’s Dr. Scott on the left above, Dr. Reid on the right.

On being tapped for the job, Dr. Reid adhered to the usual sort of talk:

"It is crucial, now more than ever, for students to understand evolution and climate science," Reid commented. "I am excited at the prospect of helping NCSE to continue its important work in ensuring that these topics are taught properly — accurately, thoroughly, and without ideological interference."

But of course the NCSE has until this moment stood for the exact opposite of these things: for the concealment of ambiguity and contradictory evidence in the study of evolutionary biology, for an ideological screen placed before students’ eyes to obscure that evidence.

Ann Reid, who worked most recently as director of the American Academy of Microbiology, has a serious background as a real scientist compared to her predecessor. Arguably, design in biology is more clearly revealed at the micro level even than it is at the macro. We hope her past employment and studies will serve her well in presenting the scientific evidence to the public with greater objectivity than we’ve been accustomed to from the NCSE.

David Klinghoffer

Senior Fellow and Editor, Evolution News
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Science Today, the daily voice of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, reporting on intelligent design, evolution, and the intersection of science and culture. Klinghoffer is also the author of six books, a former senior editor and literary editor at National Review magazine, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Commentary, and other publications. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from Brown University in 1987 with an A.B. magna cum laude in comparative literature and religious studies. David lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and children.

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