Creationism

A bill stating that Arkansas teachers may teach religious beliefs of creation alongside scientific theories failed to advance from the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.

The sponsor, Rep. Mary Bentley, R-Perryville, said many teachers had asked her for the ability to teach “counter-theories” and open up the class for debate among students. Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, said the bill would allow all religion’s creation stories to be taught, which would lead to “consternation.”

Six of the eight committee members were present Wednesday, and three voted no.

A 1982 federal court ruling held unconstitutional an Arkansas law that mandated equal treatment of “creation science and evolution-science.” The U.S. Supreme Court also struck down the state’s ban on teaching the theory of evolution in 1968.