Standards

Draft Ohio Standards Allow Debate on Evolution

By David J. Hoff — October 23, 2002 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

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 opening to do so.

“Evolution is in the standards,” said Eugenie C. Scott, the executive director of the National Center for Science Education, an Oakland, Calif.-based group that supports the teaching of evolution. “The kids are going to be tested on the standards, so evolution will be taught.”

The latest addition, adopted by the state board committee on Oct. 14, opens the door for teachers to discuss the “intelligent design” theory, which suggests that some evolutionary changes happen so suddenly that they could be the work of a force such as God.

“The board should be commended for insisting that Ohio students learn about scientific criticisms of evolutionary theory as a part of a good science education,” said Stephen Meyer, the director of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, a Seattle organization that promotes intelligent-design theory.

“Such a policy represents science education at its very best, and it promotes the academic freedom of students and teachers who want to explore the full range of scientific views over evolution.”

Center of Controversy

Over the past year, Ohio has been at the center of the long- running debate over how to teach evolution, as its state board of education completes a revision of science standards mandated by state law.

More than 1,000 people filled a Columbus auditorium last spring for a debate between advocates of evolution and intelligent design staged by the state board. In recent weeks, both sides of the debate have pointed to polls that they say show public support for their positions.

Throughout the process, a small band of scientists has been promoting intelligent design as an alternative to evolution. They say that the state should teach the controversy over whether evolution is the best explanation of biological diversity.

The National Academy of Sciences and other prominent science groups have urged Ohio to adopt standards that describe evolution as “the central unifying concept of biology” and “a critical component of many related scientific disciplines.” (“Eminent Science Group Reiterates Importance of Teaching Evolution,” April 28, 1999.)

Now that the science-standards committee has finished drafting its standards, the state board will listen to public comment on them at its meeting next month. The board has scheduled a vote on the standards at its December meeting. State law requires the board to adopt new science standards by the end of the year.

Since Ohio gives districts the final say over curriculum, local educators will decide how much emphasis to put on the debate over evolution, according to Patti Grey, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Education.

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Standards Political Debate Upends Texas Social Studies Standards Process
The Lone Star State is the latest to throw out a set of standards after conservative activists organized in opposition.
7 min read
USA flag fractured in pieces over whole flag.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Standards Opinion Educators Weigh In on Implementing the Common Core, Even Now
Though outlawed in some states, the standards still offer a strong foundation for English, math, and other subjects.
4 min read
A woman tutors a young child.
Collage by Vanessa Solis/Education Week (images: Svetlana Ievleva/iStock/Getty Images Plus; DigitalVision Vectors)
Standards The Sex Ed. Battleground Heats Up (Again). Here's What's Actually in New Standards
Vocal opposition from some conservative groups has put a spotlight on schools’ instructional choices.
11 min read
Illustration of contraceptives and anatomical diagrams of internal reproductive organs and cells
Alisa Potapovich/iStock/Getty
Standards Opinion Did I Accurately Guess the Fate of the Common Core? You Be the Judge
In 2012, I imagined what the Common Core would be like in a decade. Now, readers can compare this imagined “future” to reality.
7 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty