Evolution deleted....

[Ken Kinman]

      I don't know the details, but the Kentucky decision sounds very
similar to the Kansas decision, in that a distinction is being made between
microevolution (change within a species) and macroevolution (change between
species).
     Being one who likes to find a "middle ground", I find this potentially
helpful in some conservative areas of the country for two reasons:  (1) it
reduces tensions between conflicting ideologies; and (2) it helps to educate
the whole population that microevolution is an observable fact.  And even if
some students are not tested on macroevolution, they will still be exposed
to it eventually in some classroom, nature programs on television, other
children, and a host of other ways.
     It's not that we shouldn't be concerned at all, but over the short term
I see no reason to get overly upset at these developments.  In a way,
putting the spotlight on evolution could be beneficial and educational for
the population as a whole in the long term.  Those parents who try to keep
evolutionary knowledge from their children may actually sometimes end up
fostering that student's interest in evolution in some ways.  Any short term
problems caused by the Kansas and Kentucky decisions shouldn't be that
difficult to address given a little time and extra effort.
                   -------------Ken Kinman

>From: Ron Kaneen <rkaneen at ISLAND.NET>
>I agree.  The topic is apparently still being covered, no matter what you
>call it.  Evolution is "...heritable change in one or more characteristcs
>in a population or species through time" (Price, P.W., 1996).
>
>No doubt the decision was political, and since it is the same thing
>according to defenition, it *is* just semantics.
>     Colin Kaneen
>
>At 11:35 99-10-06 -0800, Ed wrote:
> >I really don't see that there is a problem with this. It is after all a
>political ploy and adds up to nothing more than semantics. They are saying
>the same thing without using the dreaded word 'Evilution' (no, it's not
>mis-spelled) ;-)
> >Ed

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