NSTA backs intelligent design (into a corner)

In case you’re holding your breath, don’t expect any help from the teachers associations about teaching the weaknesses of neo-Darwinism, much less alternatives to it. They’ll be the last ones to change their tune, as you can see from the following letter:

NSTA Letter to the Kansas State Department of Education on the Teaching of
Evolution
May 3 2005

Kansas State Department of Education
120 SE 10th Ave.
Topeka, KS 66612-1182

Dear Board Members:

On behalf of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and its 55,000
members nationwide – with more than 700 in the state of Kansas – we urge the
Kansas State Board of Education to use the Kansas Science Education Revision
Committee’s Draft Two to best advise your decision on Kansas Science
Standards. The committee’s work represents the best practices of the
National Science Education Standards and exemplifies good science.

NSTA strongly supports the position that evolution is a major unifying
concept in science and should be included in the K-12 science education
frameworks and curricula. This position is consistent with those of the
National Academies, the American Association for the Advancement of Science
(AAAS), and many other scientific and educational organizations.

Though the Board members’ decision has political ramifications, NSTA urges
you to base your decision solely on what best represents what Kansas
students should know about and be able to do as a result of their science
studies. Scientific evidence should be the primary basis for your decision.
It is unfair to the students of Kansas to give them anything less.

In addition, we believe the hearings you have planned to hold detract from
the decision you must make on science standards because you are seeking
opinions regarding language from failed legislation known as the Santorum
“Amendment.” Furthermore, the committee’s Draft Two represents far more
research than six days of hearings could ever provide.

Attached is NSTA’s official position paper on The Teaching of Evolution. We
would be glad to discuss this issue with you in more detail. Feel free to
contact us at 703-243-7100.

Sincerely,

Anne Tweed
2004-2005 NSTA President

Dr. Gerald Wheeler
NSTA Executive Director

The National Science Teachers Association
© 2005 NSTA