It's election time for primaries this week. If you live in Kansas, five of the ten state Board of Education members are up for re-election. This is controversial because in 2005 the board changed the state science standards (what science is taught to students in Kansas schools) to include wording minimizing evolutionary concepts such as common descent, the nature of the fossil record, and the efficacy of mutations, after holding hearings on science standards that included Intelligent Design proponents.
No matter how you stand on these issues, it is important to evaluate the overall debate.
I have included links to the science standards and the hearings. The hearings are particularly fascinating to read, reminding me of the wording of the Scope's Monkey Trial and the film Inherit the Wind. You read them and make up your own mind.
Science Standards and Hearings:
KS Science Standards Brochure
KS Science Standards Page
KS Science Standards 2001
Science Standards Hearing, May 5, 2005
Science Standards Hearing, May 6, 2005 (A.M.)
Science Standards Hearing, May 6, 2005 (P.M.)
Science Standards Hearing, May 7, 2005 (A.M.)
Science Standards Hearing, May 7, 2005 (P.M.)
Science Standards Hearing, May 12, 2005
Also, in 2005 I wrote a large research project paper on the KS science standards and Intelligent Design vs. Evolution for a course at Southwestern College, if you are interested in reading it.