A dozen science teachers proposed a revision of the biology curriculum in the state of Georgia in order to meet the national standards. They also suggested bringing back the word "evolution".
Avi Blizovsky
Kathy Cox
A dozen science teachers proposed a revision of the biology curriculum in the state of Georgia in order to meet the national standards. They also suggested bringing back the word "evolution".
Education officials hope the rapid revision will bring the famous storm, which arose when Superintendent Kathy Cox sought to replace the word "evolution" with the phrase "changes over time" in the curriculum, to an end. Cox withdrew her position after a week of criticism from science teachers, college professors and politicians.
"We are confident that the document [the new curriculum], not only meets national standards, but also provides an answer to the need for a curriculum at the best level, as requested by our board of directors and as our teachers and students deserve," Cox said in her statement.
A team of about a dozen science teachers met on Thursday, and for three hours outlined the necessary changes. Cox assembled teams from across the board to help overhaul Georgia's curriculum, which critics say is too broad.
The new plan, which the panel approved with almost no objections, states that "molecular evidence corroborates the anatomical evidence for evolution."
The great majority of scientists believe that the theory of evolution - which states that all existing life forms have evolved from earlier and more primitive forms of life - is the basis for the study of biology.
The beliefs of various religious groups do not accept this concept.
A new part of the proposed curriculum deals with controversies that may arise.
An excerpt from a review of the proposal: "Perhaps science should acknowledge the controversy and concentrate on presenting the scientific approach and nothing else. Even if students ultimately choose not to accept the scientific version, they must be exposed to it and know what it is talking about."
Political leaders, many of whom harshly criticized Cox's proposal to remove evolution from the curriculum, welcomed the proposed changes.
"I'm glad the public response was heard," said state representative Cathy Ash, a Democrat from Atlanta and a member of the White House Education Committee.
On Monday, several Democrats introduced a bill that would require the state's curriculum to align with national standards. Ash, who introduced the bill, said the law would help prevent mistakes, such as the recent evolution debate.
Republicans, who defended Cox's handling of the curriculum, argued that Ash's bill was intended to give lawmakers more power over the material taught in classrooms. The representative of the Republicans, Brooks Coleman, said that the adaptation of the curriculum to national standards should be encouraged, but it should not be forced to do so.
After Cox's proposal was published in Sokh last month, she announced that the theory of evolution would still be taught and that the word "evolution" would remain in the textbooks.
However, she said that she hoped that getting the word out would ease the pressure on teachers in conservative areas, where the word creates disputes among parents and school supervisors.
Former President Jimmy Carter and Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue were among the public leaders who opposed the proposal.
The State Board of Education will hold a special meeting next week to consider the change. If approved, the new draft could be the official document voted on in May.
Link to the original article on Yahoo
Georgia: Ban the word "evolution"
The original news: 3/2/2004
Florida's school board has decided to remove the word evolution from the science curriculum and replace it with the phrase "biological changes over time"
The change, which has drawn criticism from both liberals and conservatives, is contained in a draft of more than 800 pages of curriculum changes proposed by the Ministry of Education on its website. Middle schools and high schools are expected to vote on the issue at the state Board of Education in May, after hearing public comments.
The person in charge of the supervisory committee, Cathy Cox, said that the concept of evolution will continue to be taught under the new proposal, but the word will not be used in the curriculum. The proposal will not oblige the schools to purchase new books instead of those where the word evolution is mentioned and will not prevent teachers from using it.
Cox, a Republican elected to office in 2002, has consistently referred to evolution as a "buzzword" and said she was proposing it to reduce pressure on teachers in conservative areas where parents oppose the teaching of evolution.
"If teachers and parents from all over the country tell us "this is not what we wanted", then we will change the decision. Cox said.
Educators and lawmakers criticized the proposal, saying that science teachers understand the theories behind evolution and how they should be taught. "Under the guise of improving standards and improving education, we are throwing a bone to conservatives that embodies contempt and lack of appreciation for what the scientists are saying," says Bob Holmes, a member of the Georgia State House of Representatives, a member of the Democratic Party.
Former US President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that he was embarrassed by the Georgia State Department of Education's proposal to ban the use of the word "evolution" in the state's curriculum.
"As a Christian, as an engineer, as a scientist and as a lecturer, I am appalled by the attempt of Georgia Department of Education Superintendent Kathy Cox to censor and distort the education of Georgia students," Carter announced. According to Cox, "the word 'evolution' has become controversial, and may prevent some of the students from reading the biology textbooks. We don't want the word to become a failure."
Yaden Darwin and the fight over the theory of evolution
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~757444180~~~89&SiteName=hayadan
