"Scientific" creationists challenge the theory of evolution
Housewife Marian Finger, 44, was startled to hear her son Eric, a seventh-grader at the Emma C. Smith Elementary School in Livermore, Calif., describe what he learned in school. "Mom," he said, "evolutionists don't believe in God."
His mother, a practicing Presbyterian married to a chemist, began reading some of Eric's textbooks—and took some notes. "Just listen to this," she says angrily: " 'Evolutionary philosophy is the philosophy of ethical relativism, racism, military aggression.' " Says Mrs. Finger: "I just don't understand it. What's going on?"
Over opposition from 90% of the local senior high school science teachers, the seven-member Hillsborough County school board in Tampa, Fla., decided to require science classroom time for theories that challenge evolution. Says John Betz, associate professor of biology at the University of South Florida: "These people think evolution is essentially an immoral idea that gives rise to immoral conduct." Tampa's teachers "are incredulous," says Betz. "They can't believe it is happening."
Indeed, it is happening. More than a century after Charles Darwin published his Origin of Species in 1859, more than half a century after the Scopes "monkey trial" in 1925 in Dayton, Tenn., the argument between evolution and divine creation has been revived.
Just last week, in Sacramento, Superior Court Judge Irving Perluss heard arguments in Segraves vs. the State of California, a case brought by Kelly Segraves, 38, director of the San Diego-based Creation-Science Research Center. Like most creationists, Segraves maintains that evolution as taught in U.S. schools is a secular religion. Because it is California policy to teach evolution in biology classes without competing views about the divine origin of the universe, Segraves claimed that the religious freedom of his children was violated.
Judge Perluss swiftly rejected that claim. But he gave some aid to Segraves' cause. He ordered statewide distribution of an earlier school board statement cautioning that textbooks avoid "dogmatism" in dealing with speculation about the origins of man. Segraves hailed the judge's ruling as a victory for creationism, claiming it "will stop the dogmatic teaching of evolution and protect the rights of the Christian child." The trial was notable publicity for creationists. Similar trials at state and perhaps federal levels are likely. As California Deputy Attorney General Robert Tyler puts it: "The battle is not really an intellectual one. What has me worried is the emotional fight ahead." Tyler is not the only one who is worried. For decades after the Scopes trial, evolution became a missing link in some state school curriculums and there are signs that teachers are shying away from it again. Says Iowa School Science Consultant George Magrane: "Teachers in Iowa are being intimidated by the controversy. Rather than teach both creationism and evolution, they teach neither one. It's almost a regression in history."