A Serious Misstep in the Education of Our Youth

"In science, theory does not mean guess or hunch." It's remarkable that the controversy over teaching evolution continues to be so rancorous, given that the central issues have been resolved in the courts and by much of the American public. All of the major religious denominations have concluded that the concept of evolution is not at odds with their concepts of creation and human origins. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1987 and a number of lower courts have ruled that creationism is religion, not science, and cannot be required to be taught in science classrooms. But those who believe in the literal accuracy of the Bible are continuing to find ways to discourage the teaching of evolution, as we've just witnessed in the recent decision by the Kansas State Board of Education. Many teachers do not have the resources or support they need to overcome these pressures. As a result, their students will hear little or nothing about evolution. It's not surprising that national surveys reveal a degree of skepticism about evolution that is not in accord with the scientific evidence. Students are the ones who suffer from this situation. Evolution is the single most important concept in biology. As pointed out in a guidebook released last year by the National Academy of Sciences, it has implications for medicine, agriculture, and many other fields. Evolution explains, for example, why many human pathogens have been developing resistance to formerly effective drugs--and it suggests ways of confronting this serious public health problem. A detailed understanding of evolution will be essential as we strive to establish sustainable relationships with the natural world. And evolution is a scientific explanation of great power and scope. Teaching biology without explaining evolution is like teaching U.S. history without mentioning the Bill of Rights. Saying that evolution is a theory and not a fact confuses the scientific meaning of these words with their common meaning. In science, theory does not mean guess or hunch. It means an overarching explanation that has been well substantiated by extensive evidence. For example, the heliocentric theory explains that Earth orbits around the sun, rather than vice versa. Though the idea was very controversial when it was proposed in the 16th century, it now has been proven beyond doubt. Similarly, evolution is a theory supported by so much observational and experimental evidence that the overall concept is no longer actively questioned in science. Scientists continue to study the details of how evolution occurs, but there is no debate within the scientific community over whether evolution occurred. Eliminating or "de-emphasizing" the teaching of evolution sets a dangerous precedent. What other pieces of the curriculum will religiously or politically based organizations become successful at controlling? The scientific community shares at least part of the responsibility for this situation. In the past, scientists have had little involvement with elementary and secondary education. The release three years ago of the National Science Education Standards, which were produced by teams of scientists and educators, marked a turning point in this long history of disengagement. Scientists must continue increasing their efforts to improve the quality of K-12 education. Accepting evolution as an accurate description of the history of life on Earth does not mean rejecting religion. Many scientists are deeply religious, but science and religion occupy two separate realms of human experience, and should be taught as such--in distinct classroom settings. To continue to demand that they be combined detracts from the glory of each. Bruce Alberts is a biochemist and president of the National Academy of Sciences, which produced the guidebook "Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science," and more recently an updated version of "Science and Creationism: A View from the National Academy of Sciences." Both are available free on the Web: www4.nationalacademies.org/opus/evolve.nsf

A Serious Misstep in the Education of Our Youth

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