Friday, September 22, 2006
Devos Backpedals on Teaching ID
Dick DeVos, the Republican candidate for governor of Michigan, is already back pedaling in his support for teaching intelligent design.
In an interview with an AP reporter Wednesday, DeVos said: "I would like to see the ideas of intelligent design, that many scientists are now suggesting is a very viable alternative theory, that that theory and others that would be considered credible would expose our students to more ideas, not less."
The Detroit Free Press posted the AP story on its web site. They report that "within a few hours, about 200 readers emailed their comments, an unusually large response. Wednesday, DeVos, campaign spokesman, John Truscott said DeVos views the issue as a matter for local school districts to decide.
"Lots of intelligent people can disagree about the origins of life. In the end, I believe in our system of local control," DeVos said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "Local school boards should have the opportunity to offer evolution and intelligent design in their curriculums."
The Free Press reports that the "DeVos statement injected the first hot button social issue in a gubernatorial campaign that has focused almost exclusively on Michigan's sagging economy. Until Wednesday, he had avoided broaching potentially volatile issues, including some causes he has been associated with, such as school vouchers."
Gov. Granholm has said she supports teaching evolution as established scientific theory in science classes, and that intelligent design could be taught in comparative religion or current events classes.
Another case of a right-wing candidate being burned by his own hot-button issue.
In an interview with an AP reporter Wednesday, DeVos said: "I would like to see the ideas of intelligent design, that many scientists are now suggesting is a very viable alternative theory, that that theory and others that would be considered credible would expose our students to more ideas, not less."
The Detroit Free Press posted the AP story on its web site. They report that "within a few hours, about 200 readers emailed their comments, an unusually large response. Wednesday, DeVos, campaign spokesman, John Truscott said DeVos views the issue as a matter for local school districts to decide.
"Lots of intelligent people can disagree about the origins of life. In the end, I believe in our system of local control," DeVos said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "Local school boards should have the opportunity to offer evolution and intelligent design in their curriculums."
The Free Press reports that the "DeVos statement injected the first hot button social issue in a gubernatorial campaign that has focused almost exclusively on Michigan's sagging economy. Until Wednesday, he had avoided broaching potentially volatile issues, including some causes he has been associated with, such as school vouchers."
Gov. Granholm has said she supports teaching evolution as established scientific theory in science classes, and that intelligent design could be taught in comparative religion or current events classes.
Another case of a right-wing candidate being burned by his own hot-button issue.
