Douglas denies she’s trying to cut teaching of evolution
PHOENIX — The state’s top school official is trying to downplay — and in some cases remove entirely — references to evolution in the standards of what students are supposed to be taught in Arizona high schools.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas is proposing to eliminate requirements that students be able to evaluate how inherited traits in a population can lead to evolution. Replacing that last word would be “biological diversity.’’
Elsewhere, Douglas seeks to repeal language that students develop the understanding of how “adaptations contribute to the process of biological evolution.’’ Instead that verbiage would read “how traits within populations change over time.’’
And a reference to the “mechanism of biological evolution’’ would be supplanted with “change in genetic composition of a population over successive generations.’’
The word “evolution’’ would remain in some other places, though it would specifically be referred to as a theory.
But It isn’t just the idea of evolution that’s on Douglas’ hit list.
The standards crafted by the committee had said students should be able to analyze and interpret “supporting evidence for the Big Bang theory and the scale of the universe.’’ That verbiage is gone, replaced with the more generic “theories related to the scale and expansion of the universe.’’
But Douglas told Capitol Media Services this isn’t her attempt to replace the teaching of evolution with “intelligent design.’’ That essentially is a theory that life is too complex to have evolved at random and must be the product of some specific design, presumably by a higher power.
“We have absolutely nothing in these standards in reference to intelligent design,’’ she said.
The changes have drawn particular concern after KPNX-TV in Phoenix unearthed an audio recording of Douglas from last November where she was speaking at an event for Republican candidates.
“Should the theory of intelligent design be taught along with the theory of evolution?’’ she said in response to a question. “Absolutely,’’ Douglas said.
Douglas said Monday she was simply giving her personal beliefs on the issue. And she called reports that she is trying to put intelligent design into the curriculum “fake news.’’
But in those November comments, the school superintendent did not separate out her own beliefs from those of what she thinks should be taught in public schools.
“I had a discussion with my staff because we’re currently working on science standards, to make sure this issue was addressed in the standards we’re working on,’’ Douglas said at the time.
Douglas stressed Monday that the word “evolution’’ does remain in the standards, at least in several places.
“But we need to look at it from all sides,’’ she said.
“The point of education is really to be seekers of the truth, whatever the truth may be,’’ Douglas said. “And that’s what all standards should work towards.’’
She acknowledged that the wording changes she wants made does open the door to teachers providing students with alternate theories of how life on earth got to where it is..
“Evolution is a theory in many ways,’’ Douglas said. “That’s what our children should understand.’’
She said there are parts of evolution that are proven science, other elements are “very theoretical.’’
“And if we’re going to educate our children instead of just indoctrinate them to one way of thinking, we have to be able to allow them to explore all types of areas,’’ she said.
So does Douglas believe there’s any scientific basis behind intelligent design?
“Maybe there will be someday,’’ she responded.
“Once upon a time people said the earth was flat and it couldn’t possibly be round,’’ Douglas said. “I don’t know.’’
The proposed changes drew opposition from Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association.
“We support the teaching of the scientific theory of evolution in the schools,’’ he said. “Scientific standards should be based on scientific research and nothing else.’’
And Thomas said this is more than a question of standards.
“It risks Arizona students falling behind the rest of the nation and world if we start watering down our education standards,’’ he said.
Thomas also said he was skeptical about Douglas’ claim that there are other valid theories that should be taught in schools.
“If there are other theories that exist, the science that has escaped the science community, the superintendent should bring those to the forefront.’’