UC Berkeley Web site creates tensions

High school and middle school teachers teaching evolution in
their classrooms may find their jobs somewhat easier with the
creation of a new Web site by scientists at University of
California, Berkeley aimed at aiding teachers in conducting
evolution-related studies.

But the site, created by the University of California Museum of
Paleontology at Berkeley, has already drawn its share of criticism
from creationism-oriented groups.

John Rajca, museum director at the Institute for Creation
Research, said the Web site is used to promote a particular point
of view instead of showing the entire picture.

“It’s useful in order to perpetuate some of the
myths (about evolution), and the whole picture is not being put out
there,” Rajca said.

Creationist organizations, such as the ICR, advocate a creation
theory based on religion, stating that a higher power was
responsible for the creation of life on earth.

Evolution-related organizations believe life on earth came about
as a result of the scientific evolution of particular biological
species.

Ellen Simms, UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and
evolutionary ecologist, said it makes sense for the paleontology
museum to advocate evolution on its Web site

“The UCMP is a scientific institution, and the fact of
evolution and the theories associated with it are scientific, while
creationism it not. So it was entirely appropriate for UCMP to
focus solely on evolution,” Simms said.

Rajca, though, said it is such an attitude that creates a
negative view of creationism.

“We at the ICR are research scientists, and we put out
useful information. We would basically like all the evidence that
is out there to be taught, and we believe that if that were the
case, creationism would have risen to the top,” Rajca
said.

“Currently it would be unthinkable for any university to
have a Web site that supports creationism. A belief in anything
that might entail a designer is thought to be a no-no,” he
added.

The Supreme Court has ruled in the past that a requirement that
creation science be taught in public schools violates the
Establishment Clause, which in effect validates the teaching of
evolution in classrooms nationwide.

The Establishment Clause, known to many as the “separation
of church and state,” forbids the government from taking any
part in the promotion of religion.

But certain school districts still have broad discretion in
choosing topics to be covered in their schools, which keeps the
debate over evolution versus creationism alive.

Judy Scotchmoor, director of education and public programs at
the UCMP, said the purpose of the Web site is not to further ignite
the debate.

“We were not focusing on the controversy. We strongly feel
that if people knew what science is and what it isn’t, there
will not be any controversy,” Scotchmoor said.

Some sections of the site deal with the pitfalls teachers might
face in trying to teach evolution and ways in which educators might
combat those roadblocks.

Some of the suggestions include not using the terms
“design” or “creature,” since both of these
suggest a creator and might confuse students learning about
evolution.

Scotchmoor said the roadblocks portion of the Web site is a
minor part of the information provided, with the majority of the
site dedicated to resources to help educators improve the study of
evolution in their classrooms.

“We’ve noticed that evolution is often treated as a
unit instead of as a backbone to biology, and often it is located
at the end of the book, which means it might not be taught, or not
taught well,” Scotchmoor said.

“I myself was a teacher for a very long time, and students
can be very curious asking questions. We simply give strategies and
try to provide teachers with sufficient content to answer
them,” she added.

The evolution Web site can be found at http://evolution.berkeley.edu.