The Observer, February 17, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 17
A Little to the Left: Intelligent design theory in schools unjustifiable, rejected by Ohio Boad of Education this week
Attention all scientists and common-sense lovers: this week, the state of Ohio made a long overdue return to logical legislation! Although a decision is pending, the majority of the Ohio Board of Education members challenged a model biology curriculum in a public school that is considered to be "an excuse to teach the tenets of intelligence design."
According to Tuesday's New York Times, such a "reversal in Ohio would be the most significant change across the country" in the controversy against the notion of "intelligent design," which argues that life is too complex to be explained by evolution alone. Specifically, the theory of intelligent design stems from the theory of Creationism, in which religious sects argue that a divine being or a higher, spiritual power initiated life.
This is quite a departure from the Board of Education's stance three years ago when Ohio became the first state to isolate evolution for "critical analysis" in science classes in public schools. In other words, not too long ago, Ohio's Education Board was "questioning" whether or not the scientifically evidence theory of evolution should be taught in public schools. Even further back, in 2000, the state of Ohio rejected a proposal to teach intelligent design alongside evolution.
The challenge by the Ohio Board of Education this week comes on the heels of a December ruling by a Pennsylvania federal judge that deemed teaching the theory of intelligent design in public schools unconstitutional. The Pennsylvania decision has added considerable pressure to Ohio's Education Board to follow suit and eliminate intelligent design theory from science curricula in public schools.
The ruling established that teaching the theory of intelligent design in public schools is unconstitutional because to teach the theory of intelligent design breaches the separation of church and state.
Inarguably, this Pennsylvania decision must be applauded for protecting the interest of the public and public schools. By definition, "public" literally means "of, concerning, or affecting the community or the people." Because public schools are government funded at local, state, and federal levels and exist to serve and equally educate all children, teaching intelligent design in the classroom imposes unconstitutional religious overtones undeservingly on students.
I believe in this Pennsylvania ruling and I sincerely hope that the Ohio Board of Education, as predicted, will in fact challenge the teaching of intelligent design in public schools. I think that this move would do wonders for the public school system in Ohio to assert its role as moderator of public schools rather than moral compromiser.
In other words, I cannot justify teaching intelligent design/Creationism with tax-payers' money. If parents are upset by this, then it is their role to teach their own children their preferred theory on the origin of life. Public schools and public funding are not responsible for teaching non-scientific theories in classrooms.
