Texas State Board of Education Controversy: Newly Adopted Science Curriculum Standards – Part 3

Texas science curriculum standards: the controversy

Proponents of evolution were prepared for the revision of the Texas science curriculum standards. See Part 1 The old standards contained anti-evolution code words. That is what proponents of evolution including the New York Times (editorial 3-31-09) called them—code words. And these had to go.

What were these code words? “Strengths and weaknesses.” Teachers were supposed to teach the strengths and weaknesses of scientific theories including the theory of evolution. Evolutionists viewed “strengths” and “weaknesses” as subversive code words.

Even though this wording had been in Texas science standards for about 20 years, everyone ignored the requirement, especially textbook publishers. That is until ‘Creationism’ and ‘Intelligent Design’ became more popular as theories explaining the origin of species. The subversive code words in the science curriculum standards had to go.

What made these words, ‘strengths’ and ‘weaknesses’ so offensive? According to Eugenie Scott, who signed Humanist Manifesto III (2003) on behalf of National Center for Science Education See Part 2, there are no weaknesses in evolution. It has problem areas that are not yet explained, but these problem areas are not weaknesses.

Texas State Board of Education voted to remove the offensive code words, but evolutionists were not entirely happy with the new language.

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