The state of Kentucky has replaced the word 鈥渆volution鈥� in its high school
testing guidelines with the phrase 鈥渃hange over time鈥�. The decision, which
became public last week, was actually taken two weeks prior to the Kansas State
Board of Education鈥檚 decision to purge evolution from its science curriculum
(New 杏吧原创, 21 August, p 4).
Kentucky Department of Education officials say they wanted to short-circuit
the persistent controversy over the teaching of evolution.
Lynn Earl Huddleston, president-elect of the Kentucky Science Teachers
Association, says evolution is still included in state-approved textbooks and
will continue to be taught in most schools. 鈥淏ut there will be some districts
that may use this as a way to get out of teaching it,鈥� he says.