I’ve been following the fight against evolutionary biology for quite a while now and thought I was familiar with all of the critics’ tactics. But just when I thought I’d seen it all, they come up with a new one.
First, biology’s opponents tried to ban lessons on evolution from the classroom. In 1968, the Supreme Court struck that approach down. Second, they tried to mandate religious lessons be taught alongside science. The high court rejected that one in 1987.
In recent years, science’s critics have tried a variety of increasingly clever schemes: warning labels in biology textbooks, dressing up creationism in a scientific veneer and calling it “intelligent design,” removing evolution from state science curricula, and multiple (but silly) legislative efforts to mandate evolution be taught as “theory not fact.”
Ironically, evolution’s opponents are using an evolutionary model as the framework for their efforts. When one tactic fails, either in the court system or through the public policy process, they offer slight variations on that tactic, repeatedly, hoping to find a scheme that will succeed. Sounds like descent with modification to me.
In any event, I learned via Oliver at the Liquid List that Georgia’s school superintendent has come up with a truly unique scheme: ban the word “evolution” from the state science curriculum, but not the scientific content itself.
This may sound like a bad joke, but it appears to be a sincere, though idiotic, effort.
Calling evolution a controversial “buzzword,” Georgia Superintendent Kathy Cox (R) proposes striking the word and replacing it with the phrase “biological changes over time.” As the AP reported, Cox acknowledges that the “concept of evolution would still be taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used.”
It appears to be a misguided effort at some kind of compromise. Cox believes conservative, anti-science activists will approve of her idea because it censors a word they don’t like. Likewise, Cox seems to think the pro-science crowd will go for this because the curriculum will still include lessons on evolutionary biology.
As luck would have it, both sides think this is ridiculous.
“Here we are, saying we have to improve standards and improve education, and we’re just throwing a bone to the conservatives with total disregard to what scientists say,” said state Rep. Bob Holmes (D).
And speaking for those who think Cox’s proposal doesn’t go far enough…
“If you’re teaching the concept without the word, what’s the point?” said Rep. Bobby Franklin (R). “It’s stupid. It’s like teaching gravity without using the word gravity.”