A Response to the 21st Century Science Coalition Standards of
Science Education [EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was
written by two A.P. auxiliary staff scientists. Dr. Brooks holds
a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham. Dr. Deweese holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from
Vanderbilt University.] Lines have been drawn and sides have
been taken in Texas as scientists and educators battle with one
another over whether the weaknesses in evolutionary theory
should be taught in the public school system. Since 1998, the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum for the
sciences has remained unchanged. Now, 11 years later, revisions
and updates are being made regarding many points within this
curriculum, including how evolutionary biology should be taught
in the public school system. The 1998 TEKS for high school
reads: The student knows the theory of biological evolution. The
student is expected to: (A) identify evidence of change in
species using fossils, DNA sequences, a