Darwinists Stage Opposition to Course Exploring Criticisms of Evolutionary Theory
by Jim Brown
February 3, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A pro-intelligent design group warns that Darwinists have launched an all-out assault against a voluntary science lesson plan in Ohio. In 2002, Ohio adopted science standards that allow for students to learn about both the evidence that supports Darwinism and about information that challenges that theory. Then, in 2004, the state adopted a lesson plan called "Critical Analysis of Evolution," through which teachers can present to students some of the scientific criticisms of evolution.
Last month, the Ohio Board of Education voted 9-8 to keep the "Critical Analysis of Evolution" curriculum. However, that move has angered Darwinists, who are pressuring the board to rescind the model lesson plan. And one intelligent design proponent believes the American Civil Liberties Union and similar groups are offering the pro-evolution crowd their support.
Rob Crowther is a spokesman for the Seattle, Washington-based Discovery Institute, a leading intelligent design think tank. He says dogmatic evolutionists are trying to strong-arm the state Board of Education.
"They don't like the fact that [the "Critical Analysis" lesson plan] presents some of the criticisms of Darwin's theory," Crowther asserts, "and they are being aided and abetted by groups like the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State." These evolution proponents are "threatening the school board that, if they don't rescind their lesson plan, that [the Darwinists and their supporters] might bring a lawsuit."
The Discover Institute representative says these pro-evolutionist activists are getting scientists and others to publicly criticize the approved science lesson plan and attack members of the state education board for supporting it. In fact, he contends, some Darwinists have resorted to extreme measures against the lesson plan's supporters.
"There are some scientists at Ohio State University who have attacked their colleagues who are critical of Darwinism and made all sorts of outlandish comments about them -- and who really have tried to put pressure on them through personal attacks," Crowther says. Paraphrasing one such attack, he notes, "It said things [about the evolution critics, such as that] they were going to 'burn these parasitic tics off the hide of the university,' and so on."
Crowther points out that the lesson plan being assailed by Darwinist opponents does not involve religion, creationism, or intelligent design theory. Instead, he says, it is merely based on "mainstream" criticism of evolutionary theory that comes straight out of scientific literature.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
