By Terry Witt – Spotlight on Levy County Government
The question of whether evolution is a theory or scientific fact hasn’t ended.
It spilled over into a Levy County School Board meeting Tuesday when a Chiefland man said a new Pearson science textbook for Levy County 6th and 7th graders teaches evolution as a fact rather than a theory.
William Blosch said it was inappropriate for middle school age children who are just transitioning in their development to the point where they can think abstractly, to be given a textbook that suggests evolution is true without providing opposing facts that prove the opposite.
“I notice in the evolution section of this textbook it does use the word theory in there but it presents it as fact,” Blosch said. “And if you present something like that to kids at that age, whether you call it a theory or not, they’re going to take it as that. It ignores the overwhelming evidence that disproves evolution.”
Kim Wheeler of Williston, who described herself as a resource manager whose children are teachers, expressed support for the science book and its contents.
“I believe in science and I believe the Pearson program looks like a good program for children at that age. It encourages them to think and to use their mind to gather evidence. It’s just really important in this day and age; we need critical thinking and I come in support of the Pearson program,” she said.
Linda Cooper, founder of Spotlight, asked whether the issue should be brought to the attention of teachers to let them decide if something has been overlooked in the new science textbook.
School board member Paige Brookins responded that this was the first time the board had heard about the issue and she wondered what kind of timeline the staff was facing in adopting the science textbook.
“At this point, we’re in a critical time crunch in having the book available,” said Barbara Rivers, director of MIS/Technology for the school district. Rivers said teachers will use the book to plan out how the science standards should be taught to meet testing requirements.
The Levy County School Board voted unanimously to adopt the book for classroom use in the coming school year. The school year begins Aug. 13.
Superintendent Jeff Edison said he understood Blosch’s concerns from the perspective of his faith, but he also felt the teachers were competent and capable of conveying the standards the book present to their students. He said he had to agree with Wheeler from an academic point of view.
“I know our teachers. I know the standards and I understand your concerns and I’m with you as far as my faith and what I believe,” Edison said. “I’m going to go with what she said. Our job is to teach kids how to think. I can tell you it doesn’t matter if it’s science or what, or if it’s writing, the things we do; our job with our teachers is to teach our kids how to think. And because of a lot of other views, whether it’s political or social, whatever it is that is discussed in our classrooms, our teachers are very good at making sure they (the students) understand that this is a theory.”
Edison added, “The whole thing I’m trying to say is our teachers do a good job of; we present things as theories. This is what it’s saying, this is what these people believe, and accepting and making sure that, kids understand and are able to articulate the differences between what’s not. It doesn’t matter if its science or history or politics or whatever.”
But Blosch said the textbook states that fossil evidence is consistent with evolution when the “fossil evidence proves the exact opposite.”
He said the textbook states, “That you will find more developed vertebrae evidence at lower levels in the strata than you do smaller items, which is not evidence of evolution, that’s evidence of the flood,” Blosch said. “What is presented in the textbook is not consistent with established fact and I think we need to teach honestly in accordance with proven facts and not try to promote a political agenda. I would encourage you to reconsider acceptance of this textbook on those grounds.”
Blosch said he reviewed the science book on a published website and found that for the most part, the book was reasonable. But he said one section of the book dealing with evolution as fact “is out in left field.”
“This is not consistent with what has been established as evidence for or against evolution,” he said.
School Board member Rick Turner said he agrees there have been instances of people discussing evolution versus creationism, but he said Blosch made a good point about whether students can fully comprehend “the beginnings of making up your own mind.”
“Turner said he thinks it would be good to tell teachers they are dealing with theory, but at the same time, they should be encouraged to explore the issue on their own.
“If you can prove that it’s fact, prove that it’s fact. If you can’t, teach it as a theory and recognize it as a theory. Go find more information to determine in your mind where you stand,” Turner said.
School Board of Levy County Regular Meeting June 25, 2018
Posted June 28, 2018
