Editors Corner
February 2017, Notes From the Field Editor Steve Metz
Editor
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6 The Science Teacher
T h i s V i ew o f L i fe
Recently a colleague came to me for ad-
vice. A student in her ninth-grade biol-
ogy class wanted to be excused from the
evolution unit for religious reasons.
With more than four in ten Americans
continuing to believe that God created
humans 10,000 years ago (Gallup 2016),
such a request is undoubtedly common
in our biology classrooms.
My colleague and I worked out an
approach that started with discussing
several important ideas with the student:
Evolution and religion are different
ways of knowing that need not con-
flict. Science and faith can coexist.
Scientists like Kenneth Miller and
Francis Collins (and many others)
find evolution compatible with faith,
while many religious groups accept
evolution (Pew 2014).
Evolution is so well established by a
preponderance of empirical evidence
that there is no longer any room for
scientific debate or controversy.
Evolutionary theory is supported by
virtually all scientists and scien-
tific organizations, including the
American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science, the National
Academy of Sciences, the National
Association of Biology Teachers, and
many others. The position statement
of the National Science Teachers
Association affirms that if evolu-
tion is not taught, students will not
achieve the level of scientific literacy
needed to be well-informed citizens
and prepared for college and STEM
careers (NSTA 2013, p. 1).
State and national standards require
the teaching of evolution. The Next
Generation Science Standards include
evolution as a core idea in the life
sciences and take a firm stand that
students must learn about evolution.
Perhaps most importantly, we as-
sured this student that we would
honor her religious beliefs. In class,
we would use discussion, labora-
tory work, and research to provide
scientific evidence for evolution, but
we would not attempt to promote
changes in her religious faith.
In a larger sense, the idea of opting out
of the evolution unit is troublesome. As
biologys Grand Unified Theory (some-
thing physicists still search for), evolution
should be the unifying theme of the entire
course. Evolution by natural selection
is perhaps the single most profound
insight into reality humans have ever
achievedthe key to understanding both
the wondrous diversity of life and also
how all living things interrelate. Evolu-
tion explains Earths spectacular tree of
lifeendless forms most beautiful and
most wonderfulthat connects all life
forms to each other, from closest siblings
to distant cousins. There is grandeur in
this view of life.
Steve Metz
Field Editor
smetz@nsta.org
References
Gallup. 2016. In U.S., 42% believe
creationist view of human origins.
Washington, DC: Gallup. http://bit.
ly/2hTOx2X
NSTA. 2013. NSTA position statement:
The teaching of evolution. Arlington,
VA: National Science Teachers
Association. www.nsta.org/about/
positions/evolution.aspx
Pew. 2014. Religious groups views
on evolution. Washington, DC:
Pew Research Center. http://pewrsr.
ch/2fqJXuA