By Alex Levitan

The controversy over teaching evolution in schools has caused phrases such as “biological changes over time” and “intelligent design” to enter textbooks in place of “evolution” and “creationism.”

As a result, the Institute for the Development of Education in the Advanced Sciences (IDEAS) hosted “The Evolution Controversy and the Importance of Teaching about the Processes and Nature of Science” on March 22.

Jay Labov, a senior advisor for education and communication at the National Research Council’s Center for Education and a member of The National Academy of Sciences-a privately funded organization that assists the government in areas such as science, engineering and medicine-spoke about changes taking place in science classes across the nation.

Labov said many spread the term “controversy,” including supporters of intelligent design. Their slogan of “teach the controversy” has been highly successful.

“There is a small mistake in the title of this discussion,” Labov began. “Controversy should be in quotes.”

The scientific community as a whole does not see evolution as a controversial issue, according to Labov. Most scientists accept evolution; the controversy is surrounding the mechanisms of evolution. According to Labov’s PowerPoint presentation, 78 percent of Americans believe God was responsible for the creation of life on Earth. They are, however, divided on how life has changed since the creation. This has caused teachers to have problems when teaching evolution in science classes. According to the presentation, 31 percent of teachers have reported feeling pressure to teach non-evolution in science class. They say a large portion of this pressure comes from students and parents.

“This is a real hot button topic in society today,” Denise Beck, a University alumna, said. Many states have attempted to pass laws which forced either science textbooks to contain a warning label or for teachers to announce at the beginning of class that evolution is just a theory and has gaps.

In Pennsylvania, a judge ruled against a school board trying to introduce intelligent design into a science curriculum. The judge had three separate rulings, which included one that stated teaching intelligent design in a public school’s science class was unconstitutional as it combined church and state. Another ruling stated that intelligent design is not considered a scientific theory; it is a religious view. Finally, he ruled that intelligent design can be taught in public school, but only in classes like theology and philosophy.

“This is a loophole that can be used to keep intelligent design in the curriculum,” Labov said.

In other states, there have been attempts to change the definition of science, which is seeking natural explanations for what people observe around them. However, states attempted to change the definition to instead say, “more adequate explanations.”

A portion of the blame behind the public’s lack of knowledge about science rests with the scientific community itself. They have been unclear on the different definitions of laws, theories and hypotheses.

Some see a lack of extensive scientific education as a problem. “Kids in high school and even college are just getting introduction courses in science. Yet, for most students, those are terminal courses, too,” Labov said. Few students understand the scientific process for what it is; they only remember the basics of what is needed to get that good grade, he added.

Some students said they felt that the event opened up a new understanding on evolution. “It is an interesting portrayal; controversy is just a fabrication, a device,” AJ Durwin, a freshman philosophy major, said.

Jay Labov says most citizens and scientists agree evolution has occurred in some way or another.