Sunday, May 15, 2005
Testing Pseudoscience
Educators in Kansas are beginning to grapple with what changes their school district will have to make to the science curriculum after the state school board votes to approve the minority's intelligent design proposals -- virtually a foregone conclusion.
Since schools in Kansas are under the control of local school boards, many school districts -- particularly in the larger urban centers -- will continue to teach evolution just as they have under the current standards.
The hitch will come if the state board mandates changes to statewide tests that include questions on intelligent design or pseudoscientific challenges to evolution.
If they do, school districts may reluctantly conclude that they have to teach these subjects to in order to prepare their students to do well on the tests.
Since schools in Kansas are under the control of local school boards, many school districts -- particularly in the larger urban centers -- will continue to teach evolution just as they have under the current standards.
The hitch will come if the state board mandates changes to statewide tests that include questions on intelligent design or pseudoscientific challenges to evolution.
If they do, school districts may reluctantly conclude that they have to teach these subjects to in order to prepare their students to do well on the tests.
