Kansas schools put evolution back in science class

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas state Board of Education on Tuesday repealed science guidelines questioning evolution that had made the state an object of international ridicule.

The new guidelines reflect mainstream scientific views of evolution and represent a political defeat for advocates of “intelligent design,” who had helped write the standards being jettisoned.

The intelligent design concept holds that life is so complex it must have been created by a higher authority.

The state has had five sets of standards in eight years, with anti- and pro-evolution versions, each doomed by the seesawing fortunes of socially conservative Republicans and a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats. Moderate Republicans captured two seats from conservatives last year, paving the way for Tuesday’s 6-4 vote.

The board removed language Tuesday suggesting that key evolutionary concepts – such as a common origin for all life on Earth and change in species creating new ones – were controversial and being challenged by new research. Also approved was a new definition of science, specifically limiting it to the search for natural explanations of what is observed in the universe.

“Those standards represent mainstream scientific consensus about both what science is and what evolution is,” said Jack Krebs, a math and technology teacher who helped write the new guidelines.

The state uses its standards to develop tests that measure how well students are learning science. Although decisions about what is taught in classrooms remain with 296 local school boards, both sides in the evolution dispute say the standards will influence teachers as they try to ensure that their students test well.

The board’s conservative minority said the new standards will limit the information students get about evolution.

“There seems to be a pattern,” said board member Steve Abrams. “Anything that might question the veracity of evolution is deleted.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat re-elected last year, cited embarrassment caused by the board’s past decisions on evolution as a reason to strip it of its power to set education policy.