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Whether the complexity of nature indicates the existence of a purposeful natural or supernatural designer/creator has been debated for centuries. And certainly, when Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, he further polarized this debate. However, the debate has long been over within the scientific community, at least as far as evolution is concerned: living things share common ancestry. Evolution is supported by overwhelming evidence, and many religious people have made their peace with it. While some creationists continue to reject evolution ultimately on religious grounds, those who accept any of a number of views collectively known as theistic evolution succeed in accommodating it theologically. Proponents of intelligent design—who began to advocate teaching ID after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1987 in Edwards v. Aguillard that creationism was unconstitutional in public school science curricula—continue to contest evolution and advance a religious agenda.
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Reading
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In October of 2004, the Dover Area School Board (DASB) voted to adopt a policy stating, "Students will be made aware of gaps/problems in Darwin's Theory and of other theories of evolution including, but not limited to, intelligent design. Note: Origins of life will not be taught."
Then in November of 2004, the DASB issued a press release indicating that the following procedural statement, developed to implement the new biology curriculum language, would be read to all students taking biology:
The state standards require students to learn about Darwin's Theory of Evolution and to eventually take a standardized test of which evolution is a part.
Because Darwin's Theory is a theory, it is still being tested as new evidence is discovered. The Theory is not a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no evidence. A theory is defined as a well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.
Intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view. The reference book, Of Pandas and People, is available for students to see if they would like to explore this view in an effort to gain an understanding of what Intelligent Design actually involves. As is true with any theory, students are encouraged to keep an open mind.
The school leaves the discussion of the Origins of Life up to individual students and their families. As a standards-driven district, class instruction focuses on the standards and preparing students to be successful on standards-based assessments.
On December 14, 2004, 11 Dover parents, represented by the Pennsylvania ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Pepper Hamilton LLP, filed suit in federal district court against the intelligent design policy of the Dover Area School Board.
On January 6, 2005, eight Dover High School science teachers sent a letter to the district superintendent refusing to read the DASB procedural statement on the grounds that intelligent design and Of Pandas and People were not good science, and that teaching intelligent design would violate their professional standards.
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Notebook
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What is your reaction to the DASB statement?
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