evolution in KS

[John Grehan]

Mark Walker wrote

>Well, Jim, what you describe above is exactly what has happened over the
>past 30 years - only it's the theory of evolution and it's proponents that
>have been guilty - not creationists.  I, for one, completely support the
>idea of allowing all competing theories - and for allowing the people to
>make up their own minds.  This is precisely what has not been happening in
>the public arena over the past decades, so your argument appears ill posed.

I would disagree with Mark that there is an obligation to teaching competing
theories and allowing people to make up their own minds. Science has, and
has always been, about the competition of ideas without their being some
governing board of supervisors that ensures everyone gets equal hearing.
Ideas must compete through their proponents and the hearing they get will
depend on the people they reach. This means some good ideas may get
overlooked and there are enough instances of this. Yes there is a "thought
police" in science through the activities of those that deliberately
attempt to
control what their students are exposed to, and even where more than one
theory is taught they can be taught in an unfavorable light. Evolutionists
do this, and so do creationists. Its standard technique.

I support a minority perspective in evolution, but I see no obligation on the
part of evolution teachers to present it, or journals to publish, or anyone
to take any notice. If a person want's to teach a variety of theories (and
there is more than just two since neither evolution or creation are 
monotheistic), fine, but what they chose is up to them. I certainly would
 not like to see panbiogeography taught simply because some politico 
determined that it must. If Mark wants to petition political interference in
 making the choice that's fine, but its not science.

John Grehan