The Major Media’s Embarrassing Blooper on Kansas Science Standards

On Tuesday the Kansas State Board of Education adopted new science standards. According to the Board, these new standards “call for students to learn about the best evidence for modern evolutionary theory, but also to learn about areas where scientists are raising scientific criticisms of the theory.” These standards do not require the teaching of intelligent design. That fact didn’t stop some major media outlets, including Bloomberg News and the Washington Post, from erroneously claiming otherwise. The Bloomberg story began: Kansas State Board Votes to Teach Intelligent Design in Schools Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) — The Kansas State Board of Education approved a proposal to teach intelligent design along with evolution as a scientific explanation of how life began. The Washington Read More ›

Inherit The Footage: ABC Rehashes Old Stories

In order to cash in on the nation’s current interest in the debate over evolution — thanks to Kansas’ adoption of new science standards and the Dover school board trial — this evening ABC’s World News Tonight strung together disparate clips and previous footage to once again spin out the old yarn that this is just a religious issue. Yawn. (If you’re still interested see our report on the original airing of this story back in September.) But, if you’re interested in seeing a report that truly delves into the issue — from both sides — check out CBS’s News Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. Here’s an objective report from a crew that took the issue seriously and rather than Read More ›

UPDATED: Discovery Institute Welcomes Pope’s Embrace of “Intelligent Project” in Comments Related to Evolution

UPDATE: It turns out to be an “intelligent plan” The Pope’s statement (see below) at his weekly address was even stronger than first reported. ZENIT reports: “When the Pontiff finished his address, he put his papers to one side and commented on the thought of St. Basil the Great, a Doctor of the Church, who said that some, “deceived by the atheism they bear within them, imagined the universe deprived of a guide and order, at the mercy of chance.” “I believe the words of this fourth-century Father are of amazing timeliness,” said Benedict XVI. “How many are these ‘some’ today?” “Deceived by atheism, they believe and try to demonstrate that it is scientific to think that everything lacks a Read More ›

Kansas Set to Allow Teaching of Scientific Criticisms of Evolution in Public Schools

Discovery Institute praised the proposed science standards because they expand the information presented to students about biological and chemical evolution by including some of the scientific criticisms of these theories. The standards also recommend the adoption of a definition of science that is consistent with the definition of science used by most by other states. The standards do not propose teaching intelligent design theory.