There is so much disinformation out there about what was actually approved in August, 1999, that the only way to know for sure is read the originals for yourself. So I just took a look at the KSDE (Kansas State Dept. of Education) to relocate the August 1999 Science Standards which were so controversial, only to find that they have been removed from the site. The revised February, 2001 Science Standards placing more emphasis on Evolution are the only ones now on line. So, it is not possible to read from the KSDE Internet site what was actually in the approved 1999 standards. One can read the minutes to the meetings, but that is not quite the same as reading the actual approved standards. It may be that someone might have a copy of them stored somewhere else. I'm looking.
Allen
----- Original Message -----
From: Lucy Masters
To: asa@calvin.edu
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 1:09 PM
Subject: Creationism/Kansas
Allen wrote:
This is one of the falsehoods that was spread by many, including the media. There never was an attempt to ban evolution in Kansas. Few people have ever looked for themselves at the actual wording of the state school board action. To be sure, Evolution was downplayed and concepts critical of evolution were to be allowed. But the wholesale banning of Evolution from the schools is pure fabrication.
Lucy asks:
Allen - please give me a point of clarification. I may be wrong here (due to poor memory), but I thought I read in the NYTimes that while evolution was not banned in the schools, there was a total ban on the discussion of evolution in the textbooks that the schools could use. This, of course, would make the teaching of it pretty hard on the science teachers. Also, placing the burden of the fight at the local level pits teachers against the community members with whom they must live. Is this wrong? Perhaps I read this someplace else. I appreciate your helping me with my memory of this event.
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