Ignorance By Design: Florida School Board Resolutions

Latest Count Confirmed in support of science (1) Unknown (46) On Watch List (8) Anti Science Resolution Passed (6) Resolution on future Agenda (5)

Highlands County Educate a school board school board contact information Norris, who is also a Lutheran minister, has stated that evolution should not be taught as fact and that students should be able to discuss creationism in class. Source

Washington County joins the list
Madison County joins the list
Three new additions: Jackson County, Nassau County, and Putnam county. More on this below the fold

Brevard County first to reach green status

Last Updated: Jan 19, 2008
Note: Published date moved forward to 01-20 to keep it ‘sticky’
Graphics: HT Nate (click to enlarge graphics of Florida Counties)
Added: Florida County Map and list of Newspapers

Seems that some counties in Florida are setting themselves up for another Dover-like lawsuit.

Rumors have it that up to 12 counties in Florida have passed resolutions to ‘teach the controversy’, a well known code word for creationism. It’s time to do some detective work and trace back the inevitable links to creationism.

Counties so far

What really surprises me is how the proposed standard describes evolution.

Draft

Standard 2. Evolution and Diversity

A. Evolution is the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence.
B. Organisms are classified based on their evolutionary history.
C. Natural selection is the primary mechanism leading to evolutionary change.

Seems quite a factual description of evolution and it does not even use the term ‘fact’.

1. 11-20-2007 - Taylor - Taylor County and School Board Members and Agenda and minutes

Taylor Resolution was passed on November 20, 2007 but the Agenda for Nov 2007 does not mention that this resolution is going to be proposed.

2, 12-17-2007 - Baker- Baker County Resolution and School Board Members and School board agenda and minutes

1. 12-18-2007 -Holmes - Holmes County Resolution and School Board Members

2. 12-20-2007 - Hamilton - Hamilton County Resolution and Hamilton County School Board and Agenda and Procedures for those wishing to address the board

3. 01-17-2007 - Clay - Clay County (not approved yet) Will go before the school board on Jan. 17 and text of resolution. Submitted by Sharon Chapman.

4. 01-15-2007 - St Johns County - St. Johns County which notices that “Mrs. Slough will assist in drafting a resolution for the January 15 School Board meeting”. Feel free to express your concerns to the school board

5. 01-15-2007 - Jackson County

6. 01-24-2008 - Nassau County Agenda

Request adoption of Resolution #1238 asking the State Board of Education to direct the Florida Department of Education to revise the new Sunshine State Standards for Science such that evolution is not presented at the exclusion of other theories of origin of life.

1. Putnam County

It is important to attend these meetings and document what is being said and done. Dover ain’t over yet…

Let’s provide a full list of counties and their resolutions and board discussions. Time to prepare…

Time to express your concerns

Research tools

All I Want … is a Good Science Education A Florida Citizens for Science “Call to Action” project

Those not in favor of good science education, raise your hand.

HT: Wesley Elsberry, PZ Myers and Florida Citizens for Science

The ‘controversy’

From All I Want … is a Good Science Education Florida Citizens for Science

The Florida Department of Education coordinated the revision of the state’s science standards for public schools this year. A draft of the standards was available for public review through mid-December. Based on that input, the draft’s writers will then make any changes they deem necessary and offer a final product to the state Board of Education Feb. 19. It will then be up to the BoE to make the final approval for the revised standards to replace the old 1996 standards.

As soon as the draft standards were released to the public, the fact that evolution is fully integrated into the life sciences caused a stir in the media and public. The 1996 standards don’t mention the word evolution, whereas the new draft does so prominently. There is widespread opposition to the teaching of evolution in public schools across the nation, and Florida is not excluded from this fervor. This has led to a determined outcry, as can be seen in newspaper articles, letters to the editor, posts to online forums, and even announcements by some school officials. (Take a moment to browse through our blog for several examples.)

Savvy anti-evolutionists know that the state BoE has the final say on whether the draft science standards, with evolution included, will be implemented. We are aware that BoE members are being inundated by anti-evolution messages via phone, mail and e-mail. It’s important to counteract this negative influence. We need to make sure the BoE understands the value of teaching evolution, and that other supposed theories, such as intelligent design, have no scientific merit.

State Board of Education

Linda Taylor, member of state BoE who mentioned “other theories” in a St. Petersburg Times education blog Dec. 11. (Contact information on our Call to Action addresses page.)

Donna Callaway, member of state BoE who does not believe evolution should be taught “to the exclusion of other theories of origin of life,” as stated in the Florida Baptist Witness, Nov. 30. (Contact information on our Call to Action addresses page.)

Department of Education

Selena “Charlie” Carraway, Florida Dept. of Education, Director of the Office of Instructional Materials. Sent e-mail out opposing evolution, as reported in the St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 8.

State Congress

Republican House leader Rep. Will Weatherford said “… evolution is one of the theories.” Reported in the Miami Herald, Dec. 9. (Contact information on our Call to Action addresses page.)

Senator Stephen Wise attempted to get the state school board to listen to parent activists who are opposed to evolution. Reported in Florida Times Union, Dec. 6. (Contact information on our Call to Action addresses page.)

The resolution

Whereas, the Florida Department of Education has drafted and is now proposing new Sunshine State Standards for Science, the [insert county here] School Board opposes the implementation of the new standards as currently presented.

Whereas, the new Sunshine State Standards for Science no longer present evolution as theory but as “the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported in multiple forms of scientific evidence,” we are requesting that the State Board of Education direct the Florida Department of Education to revise/edit the new Sunshine State Standards for Science so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed.

Whereas, the [Insert your County here] School Board recognizes the importance of providing a thorough and comprehensive Science education to all the students in [Insert your County here] and to all students in the state of Florida, it recognizes as even more important the need to present these standards through a fair and balanced approach, an approach that does not unfairly exclude other theories as to the creation of the universe.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the [Insert your county here] School Board of [Insert your county here], Florida, that the Board urges the State Board of Education to direct the Florida Department of Education to revise the new Sunshine State Standards for Science such that evolution is not presented as fact, but as one of several theories.

I can’t wait to see these school boards contribute to the funding of the ACLU and other pro-science groups.

More Research Tools

The argument ‘teach the controversy’ has the following major vulnerabilities and it may be helpful to emphasize this in your communications. First of all, many who are objecting to the Florida standards are under the impression that there are other theories of creation. As such it is important to point out that Intelligent Design Creationism, which is seen by most as such, neither provides an alternative theory nor presents andy scientifically relevant explanations that further our scientific understanding.

Professor Richard Colling, author of the book “Random Designer: Created from Chaos to Connect with Creator” is quoted by Sharon Begley in Tough Assignment: Teaching Evolution To Fundamentalists, Wall Street Journal, December 3, 2004; Page A15

Sharon Begley wrote:

In his new book, “Random Designer,” he writes: “It pains me to suggest that my religious brothers are telling falsehoods” when they say evolutionary theory is “in crisis” and claim that there is widespread skepticism about it among scientists. “Such statements are blatantly untrue,” he argues; “evolution has stood the test of time and considerable scrutiny. [1]” Sharon Begley in Tough Assignment: Teaching Evolution To Fundamentalists, Wall Street Journal, December 3, 2004; Page A15

Background Information

In showing how Intelligent Design Creationism is scientifically vacuous I will quote from a variety of Intelligent Design Creationism proponents who have admitted how Intelligent Design Creationism fails to propose a scientific theory to compete with evolutionary theory. In addition I will quote from several Christian writers who have spoken critically of Intelligent Design Creationism since they perceive it to be vacuous science and theologically risky. While introducing the players, we run across the Discovery Institute’s Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture. Many of the ID proponents are fellows or former fellows with the Discovery Institute. The Discovery Institute’s goals have been outlined in a leaked memo title “The Wedge Strategy” in which it describes how Intelligent Design Creationism’s goal is “To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and hurnan beings are created by God”. During the Dover Kitzmiller trial, Barbara Forrest presented a detailed overview of the history of Intelligent Design Creationism and its links to Creationism.

Mentioned Players

Bruce Gordon is a Canadian philosopher of science (physics), metaphysician and philosopher of religion and a supporter of Intelligent Design Creationism. After Dembski was removed as Director of the Baylor “ Polanyi Center”, Gordon became Interim director of the renamed “Baylor Science and Religion Project”.

Philip Johnson, a retired UC Berkeley Law Professor, is known as the ‘father of Intelligent Design Creationism’. As Wikipedia states “Johnson is best known as one of the founders of the intelligent design movement, principal architect of the Wedge Strategy, author of the Santorum Amendment, and one of the ID movement’s most prolific authors. Johnson is co-founder and program advisor of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture (CSC).”

Paul Nelson is a well known Young Earth Creationist and proponent of Intelligent Design Creationism. He has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Chicago and is a fellow of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture.

Del Ratzsch is a professor at Calvin College specializing in logic and the philosophy of science and author of various books such as “Nature, Design, and Science” (SUNY Press, 2001). Del Ratzsch described the position in his book as

Nature, Design and Science was a result of trying to work through some of the concepts, issues and arguments. The conclusion reached (or the conclusions wildly leapt to) was that at least in principle, design theories did not inevitably vilate any defensible scientific norms, and could not be just dismissed on any of the usual grounds. And that is a position I still hold. That position is, however, not equivalent to the view that current design proposals have demonstrated scientific fruitfulness, that opponents of design theories are of necessity confused, irrational, blinded by naturalistic upbringings, or anything of the sort.

Del Ratzsch during an online chat at ISCID observed that

Del Ratzsch wrote:

I think that one can be honestly convinced that design offers no significant scientific promise and that it represents significant scientific risk. In fact, I believe that there are Christians who believe that, and who originally came to the debate not particularly predisposed to hostility.

Ryan Nichols is an Assistant Professor at the Philosophy Department of Cal State Fullerton. He is author of SCIENTIFIC CONTENT, TESTABILITY, AND THE VACUITY OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN THEORY published in American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 77 (2003): 589- 609.

And finally William Dembski, Research Professor in Philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth and a fellow at the Discovery Institute’s ’s Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture. William Dembski has attempted to define a scientific method to reliably detect ‘design’ using mathematical approaches.

Some definitions

The Wedge Strategy is well explained by Wikipedia: “The wedge strategy is a political and social action plan authored by the Discovery Institute, the hub of the intelligent design movement. The strategy was put forth in a Discovery Institute manifesto known as the Wedge Document, which describes a broad social, political, and academic agenda whose ultimate goal is to “defeat [scientific] materialism” represented by evolution, “reverse the stifling materialist world view and replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions” and to “affirm the reality of God.” Its goal is to “renew” American culture by shaping public policy to reflect conservative Christian, namely evangelical Protestant, values.”

Design: The set theoretic complement of the disjunction regularity or chance. Or that which remains once natural processes of regularity (law like) and chance have been eliminated.

Complexity: The negative base 2 logarithm of the probability that a particular system can be explained. A measure of our ignorance, confusingly called complexity or information by ID proponents.

Intelligent Design Creationism does not provide any alternative theory

Bruce Gordon wrote:

Design theory has had considerable difficulty gaining a hearing in academic contexts, as evidenced most recently by the the Polanyi Center affair at Baylor University. One of the principle reasons for this resistance and controversy is not far to seek: design-theoretic research has been hijacked as part of a larger cultural and political movement. In particular, the theory has been prematurely drawn into discussions of public science education where it has no business making an appearance without broad recognition from the scientific community that it is making a worthwhile contribution to our understanding of the natural world.

Source: Bruce Gordon Intelligent Design Movement Struggles with Identity Crisis Research News & Opportunities in Science and Theology. January 2001, p. 9

Philip Johnson wrote:

I also don’t think that there is really a theory of intelligent design at the present time to propose as a comparable alternative to the Darwinian theory, which is, whatever errors it might contain, a fully worked out scheme. There is no intelligent design theory that’s comparable. Working out a positive theory is the job of the scientific people that we have affiliated with the movement. Some of them are quite convinced that it’s doable, but that’s for them to prove…No product is ready for competition in the educational world.

Source: Philip Johnson In the matter of Berkeley v. Berkeley by Michelangelo D’Agostino 10, 2006 p31 Berkeley Science Review See also Panda’s Thumb posting

Paul Nelson wrote:

Easily the biggest challenge facing the ID community is to develop a full-fledged theory of biological design. We don’t have such a theory right now, and that’s a problem. Without a theory, it’s very hard to know where to direct your research focus. Right now, we’ve got a bag of powerful intuitions, and a handful of notions such as ‘irreducible complexity’ and ‘specified complexity’-but, as yet, no general theory of biological design.

Source: Paul Nelson, The Measure of DesignTouchstone Magazine 7/8 (2004): pp 64 – 65.

Intelligent Design Creationism lacks explanatory power

Del Ratzsch wrote:

“I do not wish to play down or denigrate what Dembski has done. There is much of value in the Design Inference. But I think that some aspects of even the limited task Dembski set for himself still remains to be tamed.” “That Dembski is not employing the robust, standard, agency-derived conception of design that most of his supporters and many of his critics have assumed seems clear.”

Source: Del Ratzsch in “Nature, Design, and Science:The Status of Design in Natural Science”, SUNY Press, 2001.

Ryan Nichols wrote:

Before I proceed, however, I note that Dembski makes an important concession to his critics. He refuses to make the second assumption noted above. When the EF (Explanatory Filter) implies that certain systems are intelligently designed, Dembski does not think it follows that there is some intelligent designer or other. He says that, “even though in practice inferring design is the first step in identifying an intelligent agent, taken by itself design does not require that such an agent be posited. The notion of design that emerges from the design inference must not be confused with intelligent agency”

Source: R. Nichols, Scientific content, testability, and the vacuity of Intelligent Design theory The American Catholic philosophical quarterly , 2003 , vol. 77 , no 4 , pp. 591 - 611

At Darwin or Design Jason Rennie talks to Dr Ryan Nichols.

William Dembski wrote:

As for your example, I’m not going to take the bait. You’re asking me to play a game: “Provide as much detail in terms of possible causal mechanisms for your ID position as I do for my Darwinian position.” ID is not a mechanistic theory, and it’s not ID’s task to match your pathetic level of detail in telling mechanistic stories. If ID is correct and an intelligence is responsible and indispensable for certain structures, then it makes no sense to try to ape your method of connecting the dots. True, there may be dots to be connected. But there may also be fundamental discontinuities, and with IC systems that is what ID is discovering.

Source: William A. Dembski Organisms using GAs vs. Organisms being built by GAs thread at ISCID 18. September 2002

While ID proponents are quick to claim that ID does lead to predictions, logic dictates that these claims are without merrit. In order to make a prediction, one has to know the motives, means and opportunities of the designer, one has to be able to constrain the designer.

A major disanalogy between the ID hypothesis and other scientific hypotheses is that the ID hypothesis fails to be scientifically tractable, at least insofar as the appeal to a trancendent intelligent agent as the designer: that is, an agent that transcends the confines of this universe. (As defined above, an hypothesis is scientifically tractable if and only if through scientific and empirical means we can develop and test models of its internal dynamics, often through applying the scientific results we have obtained in other domains.) Suppose, for instance, one claims that the designer is the monotheist’s God. Almost all monotheists would agree that one cannot significantly develop and test models of God’s internal dynamics through scientific means, since we cannot use science to significantly probe and test God’s psychology. On the other hand, suppose one adopts Michael Behe’s proposal (and that of many leading advocates of ID) to leave unspecified the nature of the designer. If we take this approach, then it is difficult to see how the intelligent design hypothesis could even be minimally scientifically tractable, since we would be unable to say much of anything about the internal dynamics of the designer.

and

Moreover, notice that, just as in the big bang theory, no additional scientific work is done if we add to the above hypotheses the claim that God, or some other transcendent intelligence, created or designed life on earth. In the big bang theory, for instance, neither the claim that God created the big bang, nor that it occurred uncaused, gives the hypothesis any significant additional explanatory or predictive power. Theists, for example, might find it philosophically necessary to hypothesize a creator to account for the big bang, but it is best not to consider such an hypothesis part of science since it is not scientifically tractable, and adds nothing of interest scientifically. Similarly, the hypothesis that some designer created the basic kinds will not give hypothesis (ii) above–that is, the hypothesis that the basic kinds simply appeared fully formed at various points in earth’s history–any additional explanatory or predictive power. And the reason for this is that the designer’s psychology is not scientifically tractable: we cannot form models of the designer’s internal dynamics. Of course, in analogy to the big bang, one might nonetheless feel philosophically compelled to hypothesize a creator to explain the origination of life.

Source; R Collins “A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN PROGRAM: AN ANALYSIS AND A PROPOSAL” 1998, modified 2006

It is often stated by anti-evolution forces that evolution is not a fact; a rhetorically powerful but ultimately meaningless statement. As should be obvious from the discussions in this paper, evolution is a model. A model, by its very nature, never becomes a “fact” that is it never becomes certain but always remains tentative. Trying to classify evolution or any empirical model as fact or not-fact is a failure of categories and indicates a profound ignorance of the nature of empirical knowledge. Evolution is a model, hence tentative, but a model with extraordinary predictive power. That is high praise, the highest science can give. Similar arguments are also made against other models: science has not proven X . For example X might be global warming due to green-house gases. Of course science has not proven X . Proofs are the domain of mathematics, not the empirical sciences. When people use the X is not a fact or Y is not proven gambits it is a tacit admission they have lost the science argument and they are just trying to downplay the significance of that failing.

Source: B.K. Jennings On the Nature of Science

Confirmed in support of science

Unknown

On Watch List

Resolution Passed

Resolution on future Agenda

HT: Florida Citizens for Science

E-mail Disclaimer: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

Florida School Districts

Supporting Resolution

Earl Crews, Richard Griffis, Karen McCollum, James Raulerson, Patricia Weeks, and superintendent Paula T. Barton

We contend based on the resolution that evolution is a theory, but is not the fundamental underlying concept,” said Superintendent Paula Barton. If the state were to approve the standards as proposed, then some students of this community would have to believe as fact laws that directly disagree with their faith.

Source: Board seeks resolution to revise Sunshine State Standards when it comes to Evolution presented as fact The Standard 2007-12-26

“Of course, the farther south you get, you don’t see them necessarily embracing what we are saying,” said Baker County Superintendent Paula Barton. “To be honest with you, we are a strong Christian community here, and once people here have gotten a hold of [the resolution], they’ve certainly given it strong support.”

Source: Northeast Florida balks at evolution By Matt Soergel, The Times-Union 01-17-2008

Superintendent Richard DiPatri said the change wouldn’t make a difference in Brevard Public Schools, where evolution already is taught and the curriculum is aligned with national science education standards.

…

Ginger Davis, a science resource teacher for the Brevard district, said students participate in labs where theories of evolution can be proven.

“Evolutions is much more than just that one little piece of Darwin,” she said. “It is a fundamental scientific concept that you can observe in a lab, but people tend to want to focus on that little narrow piece.”

She said that in science, a theory is much like a law. Theories have to stand the test of time, and it’s more about observable trends than schools of thought, Davis said.

Source: Florida Today State educators set to vote on evolution by Megan Downs Jan 18, 2008

School Board

Carol Studdard, Chairman

Charles Van Zant, Jr., Vice-Chairman

Carol Vallencourt, Member

Lisa Graham, Member

Wayne Bolla, Member

Clay Owens Superintendent

David Campbell, a teacher in Clay County, said he helped develop the standards being argued. The standards should include evolution, he said.

“It is the glue that holds biology together,” he said. “The new standards are a vast improvement. Evolution is not presented as dogma.”

Source: Herald Trinune Jan 04 2008

Despite impassioned opposition from science experts, teachers and some clergy, Clay County School Board members unanimously resolved Tuesday night that evolution should be presented as a theory, and not fact, in the classroom.

The board passed a resolution, proposed by Superintendent David Owens, asking the Florida Department of Education to reword its newly proposed state standards, which presents evolution as “the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported in multiple forms of scientific evidence.”

Baker County approved a similar resolution Dec. 17.

“It’s not like we’re asking for permission to teach creationism or any of those things. What we’re saying is let’s not be so dogmatic in our approach,” said Owens, who said it meets the needs of Clay County.

School Board attorney Bruce Bickner said evolution will continue to be taught and the resolution has no bearing on what is taught or what will be taught. It’s just semantics, he said.

Board members Carol Vallencourt and Charles Van Zant said they doubt the resolution will sway the Florida Department of Education to change the wording.

“We’re beating a dead horse deader,” Van Zant said.

Though he voted for the resolution, board member Wayne Bolla said he didn’t think there is a difference in the word concept and theory.

Source: My Clay Sun by Mary Maraghy, 01-17-2008

Clay County’s retiring superintendent, David Owens, said the state is “interfering” in what should be a local matter. Other theories on the origin of life should be presented along with evolution, he said.

“I believe in the separation of church and state, but I also believe there is important information available on both sides of [evolution],” he said. “To present it in just one way is wrong.”

Source: Florida Times Union Northeast Florida balks at evolution By Matt Soergel 01-17-2008

The Dixie County Advocate’s website is painful to navigate. But if you have the patience, you can venture to the Dec. 20 issue and see a column on page 12 written by Dixie County School Superintendent, Dennis Bennett.

Many scientists agree that the theory of evolution has so many unanswered unproven questions that it can’t be proven. Many scientists say that Intelligent Design, another concept has merit and warrants discussion because organisms can’t develop unless they have all components for life in place and in order. There is intelligence in the design of all organisms. If you take any part of the design out, the organism does not develop.

Source: Florida Citizens for Science: Dixie County>

And while the Dixie board did not pass a resolution, Bennett said all five members raised concerns at a recent meeting.

“We just wanted to get it on the record that we’re a Judeo-Christian community, and we believe in academic freedom,” Bennett said.

Source: North Florida weighing in against evolution St Petersburg Times, 01-24-2008

School Board

Martha Barrett

Nancy Broner

Kris Barnes

Brenda A. Priestly Jackson

Betty Burney

Vicki Drake

Tommy Hazouri

“It hasn’t come up with us yet because we’ve been focused on other things,” she said.

The board, however, will be studying the issue. “We don’t want to make any rash decisions,” Burney said.

Source: Florida Times Union Northeast Florida balks at evolution By Matt Soergel 01-17-2008

Ms. Wilhelmina Walton representing the Biology Department at the University of North Florida and the First Coast Freethought Society are cosponsoring a four speaker, Science panel program at the University Center Banquet Room, UNF on 11/13/06, 7:00 p.m. The title of the program is “Science Under Seige - the Attack on Evolution”. You were previously notified by mail. I’m a student of science, especially, biology. Florida received a grade of “F” in science regarding evolution. This grade misrepresents science. Young people have only one chance to get an education. We must teach an authentic curriculum in order to enter the workforce as educated individuals. We urge the Board to respond to this program and take part on November 13. Please put a stop to the interference on what is going on. Ms. Walton distributed flyers.

DUVAL COUNTY REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES Thursday, November 09, 2006

School Board

Jennifer Faliero - More Info

Carol Kurdell

Doretha W. Edgecomb

April Griffin

Jack R. Lamb

Candy Olson

Susan L. Valdes

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Hillsborough County: school board member Jennifer Faliero says that students shouldn’t be taught evolution only. Reported in the St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 6. (Contact information on Faliero here.)

Supporting the resolution: Rickey D. Callahan, Gary Scott, Jason Motley, Anthony Register, Vernon Lewis, and superintendent Steve Griffin.

School Board

Terry E. Nichols

Kenneth Griffin

Betty B. Duffee

Chris Johnson

Charlotte Gardner

CONTRACTS/RESOLUTIONS/AGREEMENTS

E. Approval of Resolution Regarding The Proposed New Science Sunshine State Standards

“I’m a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn’t come from an amoeba or a monkey,” said Ken Hall, a School Board member in Madison County, east of Tallahassee.

Source: North Florida weighing in against evolution St Petersburg Times, 01-24-2008

Hall, the Madison board member, said his wife is threatening to do just that with their daughter, but he’s not going to let that happen. It’ll be his daughter’s duty to learn the material, and “my duty to tell her I don’t necessarily believe that,” he said.

“I’m not buying (evolution),” Hall continued. “But I’m not boycotting it either.”

Source: North Florida weighing in against evolution St Petersburg Times, 01-24-2008

School Board

Dr. David Anderson term expires Nov. 2008

Dr. Sara A. Wilcox

Lorie Shekailo

Sue Hershey

Laurie Gaylord (Chair)

Nancy Kline (Vice-Chair)

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Martin County School Board member David Anderson said he opposes teaching evolution and said it should be referenced only as a “theory that some people believe in.”

“I’m a Christian and I believe in the Creation. I’m the son of a minister,” said Anderson, whose district includes Palm City and Indiantown. “I am in no way endorsing the teaching of evolution.” (Source

School Board

Janet Adkins

Gail Cook, Vice-Chairman

Muriel Creamer, Chairman

Jim Adams

Kathy Burns

Dr. John L. Ruis

Nassau County Superintendent John Ruis said he is a strong believer in biblical creationism. The theory of evolution has many “holes” in it, he said - and presenting it as undisputed fact “is certainly contrary to the beliefs of many people, including myself.”

Source: Florida Times-Union on 01-17-2007

School Board

Cindy Frakes - More Info

Howard Hill - More Info

Chuck Kelley - More Info

Cathy Thigpen - More info

Rodney Walker - More Info

Teachers

Shawnea Tallman, Science curriculum specialist

Lisa Rogers, a Niceville High School biology teacher

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“It’s been proven that things change over time. It is science and things do change,” said Lisa Rogers, a Niceville High School biology teacher.

There are the obvious distinct outlooks on evolution, but most people fall somewhere in the middle, said science curriculum specialist Shawnea Tallman.

“I don’t have to believe in evolution to study science, and I don’t have to believe in creationism and God to study science. I’m just studying science,” Tallman said.

Source: Evolution in education Northwest Florida Daily News Dec 12th 2007

Okaloosa County: school board member Cathy Thigpen wants other “forms of creation” to be taught.

“If it’s to be mandated, then the state needs to think about all of the other forms of creation that need to be taught in order to give students a balance,”

Source: Reported in the Northwest Florida Daily News, Dec. 12

Palm Beach County: one board member was in support of evolution and against intelligent design, while the other six board members refused to comment or return calls. However, Debra Robinson had stated back in 2000 that creationism should be taught with evolution. Reported in the Palm Beach Post Dec. 31.

Palm Beach County School Board Chairman Bill Graham said any discussion of intelligent design is best reserved for college philosophy classes, not “side by side” in K-12 science classes.

The other six board members either refused to comment or did not return numerous phone calls and e-mails made during the past two weeks.

Board member Debra Robinson told The Palm Beach Post in 2000 that schools should teach creationism with evolution.

(Contact information on Robinson here.)

Pinellas County: school board members Jane Gallucci, Carol Cook, Peggy O’Shea and Nancy Bostock all want other theories taught. Reported in the St. Petersburg Times education blog, Dec. 17.

Nov. 20. Updated: Due to a flood of pro-science correspondence, the school board backed off of their anti-evolution push, Dec. 22.

School Board

John D. Milton

Tom Townsend

Lisa Parsons

C. L. Overturf, Jr.

Joann Barber

David Buckles

Parent activists Kim Kendall and Lynda Follenweider from St. Johns County have been very vocal about their opposition to evolution. They attempted to use a state senator to get before the state board of education to talk about the subject. Reported in the Florida Times Union, Dec. 6.

Kim Kendall of Jacksonville appeared on WTBN’s Drive Time with Bill Bunkley radio show. Looking for audio and/or transcript

“Anybody with half a brain can see that natural selection takes place,” said Beverly Slough, a St. John’s board member who is president-elect of the Florida School Boards Association. “But to make great leaps from a fish to a man … the fossil record doesn’t support all that.”

Source: North Florida weighing in against evolution St Petersburg Times, 01-24-2008

School Board Members

Dr. John Carvelli Pro-Intelligent Design Creationism

Ms. Carol A. Hilson Chairman Pro-Intelligent Design Creationism Term expires November, 2008

Troy Ingersoll Unknown

Dr. Judi Miller Refused Comments

Mrs. Kathryn Hensley Pro-Science

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St. Lucie County: school board members Carol Hilson and John Carvelli either want intelligent design taught or wouldn’t object to it being taught if the community wanted it. Reported in the Palm Beach Post Dec. 31.

Opponents argue that evolution is merely a theory and that other explanations for the origins of life, such as intelligent design, also should be taught out of fairness.

Other groups have come to Darwin’s defense, arguing that evolution is backed by empirical evidence, something that intelligent design lacks.

The current standards, which are used as the basis for school curricula and standardized testing, refer only to biological “changes over time.”

That’s not enough, said Mary Jane Tappen, executive director of the state Office of Mathematics and Science.

“If you look in any biology textbook, you’ll see a chapter or more on the theory of evolution,” Tappen said. “There is a disconnect here. If we really want to be clear, the accurate terminology should be part of our standards.”

Some exchanges in the statewide debate have been stranger than others.

After a majority of school board members in Polk County agreed recently that intelligent design should be incorporated into the science curriculum, the district was inundated with e-mails from members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Members of the tongue-in-cheek religion credit all of creation to a flying abomination that’s more Olive Garden than Garden of Eden.

“No one was around to see what was described in Genesis,” one e-mail to board members stated. “For all we know, the Flying Spaghetti Monster created everything with his noodly appendages.”

But Polk County officials aren’t the only ones in favor of supplementing evolution with the teaching of intelligent design.

At least two of the five members of the St. Lucie County School Board - Chairwoman Carol Hilson and John Carvelli - said they either want intelligent design to be taught or wouldn’t object to teaching it if the community requested. The new standards have no provision for creationism or intelligent design.

“My children need to be exposed to everything, but taught as a theory,” Hilson said. “Science is, well, not an exact science. It’s all so subjective. There are a lot of holes in the theory of evolution.

“I can’t imagine that we would teach science and not teach intelligent design.”

Board member Kathryn Hensley supported the teaching of evolution, adding that “anything that is faith-based or religious-based just doesn’t belong in the classroom.”

Board member Judi Miller refused to comment and board member Troy Ingersoll, a Baptist minister, could not be reached for comment.

(Contact information on both here.)

School Board

Mark Southerland

Brenda Carlton

Darrell Whiddon

Danny Lundy

Kenneth Dennis

Oscar M. Howard Superintendent of Schools

Superintendent Oscar Howard of Taylor County, a Panhandle district with about 3,300 students, has spoken against teaching just evolution, arguing that evolution has not been proven.

Source: Florida Today State educators set to vote on evolution by Megan Downs Jan 18, 2008

Wakulla County: Beth Mims, director of curriculum, and Greg Thomas, school board member, spoke out against evolution at a public hearing concerning the science standards. Reported in the Tallahassee Democrat, Nov. 10. (Contact information on Thomas here. Contact information on Mims here.)