O'Connell: No change in science
'Intelligent design' not taught
Naush Boghossian, Los Angeles Daily News
September 29, 2005

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell struck out Wednesday against "intelligent design" - the belief that an intelligent being was responsible for the origin of the universe - vowing to fight "tooth and nail" to keep its teaching out of California's public schools.

Dozens of other states are considering measures to teach intelligent design as an alternatives to evolution. Support for the concept has been gaining momentum since President George W. Bush said it should be taught in schools and a Pennsylvania court is hearing a legal challenge to teaching it in science classes.

But O'Connell told a news conference he has no intention of allowing it to be taught in California's public schools.

"This is designed to be a pre-emptive message to stay the course and continue to adhere and teach to our world-class science standards, which are developed to prepare students for the global economy," O'Connell said.

"I'd fight tooth and nail to protect our high academic standards and to ensure sound science is protected in our classrooms."

For intelligent design to be taught in California schools, a curriculum change would first have to be adopted at the state level.

Randy Thomasson, president of the nonprofit Campaign for Children and Families, said his group would like intelligent design to be taught in California's public schools in the interest of academic honesty.

"To keep it out is anti-education." Thomasson said. "You can't just tell children that they come from monkeys and to forget all about any other theory for how life began and the incredible design of the universe and the human body."

But critics rail against the theory, saying that intelligent design is simply creationism in disguise.

Los Angeles Unified School District board member Jon Lauritzen, whose wife and daughter are science teachers, echoed the sentiments of the majority of the board, saying he is opposed to embracing the concept in public schools.

"I have no problem with individual teachers who want to discuss intelligent design as part of an overall philosophical discussion. But I certainly would not support the teaching of it as part of our curriculum," he said.

While there are no organized efforts to introduce intelligent design to Los Angeles schools, some fear that the movement, which is funded heavily by various conservative Christian groups, is a viable threat.

"I think that the ultra-conservative religious right has gained so much power in this country, they feel they can rewrite all the facts of evolution and complete their agenda of having creationism taught along with evolution," said A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents Los Angeles' 50,000 public school teachers.