Draft Ohio Standards Allow Debate on Evolution

By David J. Hoff

The draft of Ohio's science standards now includes language that encourages teachers to explain to high school students that scientists are still debating aspects of the theory of evolution.

Teachers should "describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory," according to a sentence added last week by the committee of state board of education members that wrote the latest draft.

The addition slightly changes the treatment of evolution in the state's draft standards. Supporters of instruction in evolution have said that the draft considered by the committee gave a thorough and accurate explanation of the theory that started with the ideas of Charles Darwin. They still consider the Ohio draft to be a solid set of standards, even as they acknowledge that the new sentence gives teachers who want to criticize evolution an...