Current Conditions
Online Poll
How much privacy do you think you have with your emails?

It is extremely private
It is somewhat private
There is a little privacy
There is no privacy


Gasoline Prices.
Bay District School Board to Discuss Evolution Save Email Print
Posted: 5:44 PM Feb 12, 2008
Last Updated: 10:58 AM Feb 13, 2008


A | A | A

Evolution: fact or theory? The question has school administrators statewide debating what to teach.

In less than a week the Florida Board of Education will vote on adopting new Sunshine State standards for science which would require teaching evolution as a scientific fact in all public schools.

"I do feel that evolution should be taught in the schools. It's a scientific theory that's widely accepted by a large part of the scientific community, so there's no reason that it should be excluded from the curriculum," said Tyler Atkins, a Panama City resident.

Wednesday the Bay District School Board will have its say on the issue. The proposed local resolution would require teaching evolution as only a "theory," with teachers presenting both strengths and weaknesses of the theory.

“I think it's up to the parents to talk to their children and tell them their own views on it, but in school I think it should be taught as a theory," said Philip Macadams, a Bay County resident.

But some people believe creation should be taught alongside evolution.

"I think anytime there's any theory out there it should be taught. They should all be taught. Not just one," said Timothy Johnson.

The school board will send its resolution to the state Board of Education before they vote on February 19th. Both Jackson and Washington County school boards have already adopted a similar resolution to the one Bay is considering.

Rep. Marti Coley is among those urging the state Board of Education to call evolution a theory.

Email  del.icio.us   Google   Yahoo  digg
More Stories
Gas Tips: Helping You Save Some Money

Bay County Commissioners Turn To Sheriff's Office for Jail Operation

TAFB Robots

The "N Word" Allegation

Florida Woods and Brush Fires

Georgia Teens Arrested for Beach Robbery

Allstate Back in Business

Foreclosure Numbers Through the Roof

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: karl s. krause Location: Lompoc,CA on Feb 15, 2008 at 08:55 AM
There is no valid reason for teaching evolution other than to demonstrate that alot of fabricated ideas exist. Children are overtrusting, thus they believe what is some rediculous notion, when in fact it is taught as though it were 100% accurate. We have never found the missing link that Charles Darwin stated would be vital to prove his theory. That being skeletal remains of a species that show it in a transformational stage. Never, not once. That is what children should be taught, the truth.

Posted by: Gramma Location: Springfield on Feb 13, 2008 at 06:29 PM
You have a Mormon on the School Board. He CAN'T vote to teach evolution as a fact without denying his faith.The alternative to this is to allow parents to refuse to allow their children to take any class that violates their religious beliefs. Evolution of animals may be a scientific fact. Evolution into another species has never been proven and never will. There is no "missing link" between ape and man.

Posted by: Rob Location: St. Augustine on Feb 13, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Someone PLEASE print an article explaining that what the word "theory" means when you are talking about science. I am so tired of hearing "It's just a theory." That is the same thing as accusing a computer user of rodent abuse because they have a mouse attached to their computer. Use the word properly.

Posted by: William Location: Hawaii on Feb 13, 2008 at 11:39 AM
I find it amazing that we on one hand celebrate the birthday of the great civil rights leader Dr.and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. yet on the other hand seek to create policy and law that defends and promotes only Darwin's world view, that the white european male is superior to all other races. (read his documents for proof of this fact) Evolution is the promotion of racism in a cloak of scientific jargon.

Posted by: Caleb Location: Bay Country on Feb 13, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Evolution is not a fact it takes more faith to believe Evolution than it does to beleieve in Creation oh and by the way Creation is fact. To be sure lets just sit back and see how well the school board has evolved.

Posted by: ALFRED Location: P.C. on Feb 13, 2008 at 04:23 AM
EVOLUTION IS A THEORY ONLY, SHOT FULL OF HOLES BY MANY SCIENTIST. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WHEN WE ADULTS WERE TAUGHT THE TERM THEORY WAS USED BUT IT WAS PRESENTED AS THE ONLY VIABLE EXPLANATION. SO MANY ADULTS ACCEPTED IT AS TRUTH. IT HAS ALWAYS ONLY BEEN A THEORY. IT HAS NEVER BEEN A FACT AND SHOULDN'T BE TAUGHT AS A FACT. IT HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN NOR CAN IT EVER BE SINCE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE. JUST AS THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IS A BELIEF. IF IT COULD BE PROVEN THEN IT WOULDN'T BE A BELIEF BUT A FACT. BELIEVERS IN GOD PAY TAXES BUT THEY CAN'T HAVE THEIR THEORIES MENTIONED WHILE ATHEISM IS TAUGHT AS FACT UNDER THE GUISE OF BEING SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION. NEITHER "THEORY" IS PROVEABLE. ONE MATHIMATICIAN QOUTES THE ODDS OF EARTH FORMING FROM A STAR EXPLOSION IS EQUIVALENT TO THE WEBSTER DICTIONARY FORMING FROM AN EXPLOSION IN THE PUBLIC LIBARY AND THATS SCIENTIFIC. WHY DO THEY IGNORE ALL THE SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS THAT CONTRADICT THE EVOLUTION THEORY? THERE ARE MANY.

Posted by: Kevin Location: panama city beach on Feb 13, 2008 at 12:20 AM
It is a waste of time to try and debate this issue with a person on the creationist side. For one God is infallible (to a creationist) so you cannot discuss reason, fact, scientific proof,or logic, if it conflicts with anything GOD has said, or anything that will directly go against their beleifs. Which by the way, have absolutely no factual scientific evidence to back up their creationist beleif.

Posted by: Taylor Location: Panama City on Feb 12, 2008 at 09:43 PM
Evolution is still just a theory, even though it's supported by much factual evidence. It is yet to be proven to the exclusion of all other theorys. Creation, or at least the idea of a 'higher being' is also just a theory, based mostly on the faith that something greater than us created us. As for organized religion, and the various 'Gods' it imposes. It does not qualify as a legitmate theory, in that it not only is deviod of factual proof, but flies in the face of all factual evidence to date. In summary; Evolution-Fact based theory, Creation - Faith based theory, Religion - Imaginary friends for adults.

VIPIR - Click to Animate
AP Online Video
World News
  • After quake, 1-child policy causes pain

    Bi Kaiwei holds a photo of his daughter Bi Yuexing, who was killed when her schoolroom collapsed in Monday's earthquake, in the rubble of the school in Wufu, in China's southwest Sichuan province Friday May 16, 2008. Most of the students killed when Wufu's school collapsed were only children, deepening the pain of parents who had stuck to China's one-child policy. Parents complained that the school was shoddily built, a common allegation with almost 7,000 schoolrooms destroyed in the earthquake.  For  couples who adhered to China's one-child policy and lost their only child in this week's massive earthquake, the tragedy has been doubly cruel.


  • China aftershock triggers landslides

    Rescuers carry out a survivor from the rubble of a collapsed building in Yinghua town of southwest China's Sichuan province  on Friday, May 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)A strong aftershock sparked landslides near the epicenter of this week's powerful earthquake Friday, burying vehicles and again cutting off ravaged areas of central China.


  • WP: Crises cloud China's Olympic mood

    In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency,  Chinese President Hu Jintao talks with an injured woman during an inspection at a sports center which has been turned into a makeshift shelter for quake-stricken people in Mianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Friday, May 16, 2008.  (AP Photo/Xinhua, Ju Peng)Eight is an auspicious number in Chinese tradition, and 2008 was supposed to be a joyful year, a time for celebrating at the Beijing Olympics and basking in international recognition of the country's tremendous progress under the careful leadership of the Communist Party. It has not turned out that way.


  • Cyclone toll rises to almost 78,000

    Children displaced by the cyclone Nargis take care of a flooded area at a relief camp in Hlayang Thyar township on the outskirts of Yangon on May 16, 2008.  Children in cyclone-hit Myanmar who are sleeping on the streets without adult protection are at risk of not only diseases but also sexual abuse, a UNICEF spokeswoman warned on May 16,2008.  AFP PHOTO/Khin Maung Win (Photo credit should read KHIN MAUNG WIN/AFP/Getty Images)The official death toll nearly doubled to 78,000 from Myanmar’s killer cyclone as heavy rains on Friday lashed much of the area stricken two weeks ago, further hampering relief efforts.


  • U.S. delays first war crimes trial
    A military judge has postponed the first war crimes tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, saying he wants to wait until the Supreme Court makes its ruling on the right of detainees to challenge their confinement in civil courts.