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Saturday, August 30, 2003
Calling Mr. Snopes...

Here they go again, this time in Wyoming:

billingsgazette.com - version 5.0: "Also endorsed was a recommendation for teaching biology: 'It shall be the policy ... when teaching Darwin's theory of evolution that it is only a theory and not a fact. Teachers shall be allowed in a neutral and objective manner to introduce all scientific theories of origin, and the students may be allowed to discuss all aspects of controversy surrounding the lack of scientific evidence in support of the theory of evolution.'

Board member Tom Ball, who opened the discussion on the proposed changes, said he thought the evolution recommendation should use the word 'required,' rather than 'allowed.'

Several people addressed the board, including Pastor Bud Surles who said 'evolution is more a product of Hollywood movies than based on real science.' He also said the district should teach that 'sex is safe only in a heterosexual, monogamous relationship' and that abstinence until marriage should be the message delivered by the district.

Another pastor, Mike Brush, quoted scholars whom he said 'understand the misconception of evolution' and are more inclined to accept the 'intelligent shaping of matter.'

'Intelligent design is not religious-based. I would not want you to teach religion in any way, shape or form,' he said. "

Kudos to Kitsy Barnes, head of the high school science department, for a much more clear and rational defense of reason than is often found in these cases:

"Science is a way of understanding the world, not a mountain of facts. Before anyone can truly understand scientific information, they must know how science works. Science does not prove anything absolutely - all scientific ideas are open to revision in the light of new evidence. The process of science, therefore, involves making educated guesses - hypotheses - that are then rigorously tested."
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