There have been efforts for many decades to introduce religious
beliefs about the beginning of life on Earth into the science
curriculum of the public schools. Most recently, these efforts
have included "creation science" and "intelligent design."
Following a number of court decisions finding the teaching of
creationism and intelligent design in the public school science
curriculum to be unconstitutional, there have been efforts to
introduce these beliefs into the social studies curriculum.
Although the National Council for the Social Studies believes in
the open and thoughtful discussion of ideas, public school
classrooms are not the place for the teaching of religious
beliefs. Social studies is the forum for open analysis and
discussion of historical, social, economic, geographic,
political and global issues. Thus our recommendations seek to
include the study of intelligent design within that framework.
The American Heritage Dictionary (2007) defines intelligent
design as the "belief that physical and biolo