The Orlando Sentinel recently argued that it is a "mistake for legislators to dilute the evolution decision" made by the State Board of Education.  As one of the leaders organizing opposition to the dogmatic manner in which evolution was proposed, I wanted to set the record straight about the Academic Freedom Proposal we presented at that hearing and how the Sentinel confuses the issue.  

First, the Sentinel never cited the actual language we proposed.  All ten speakers opposing the dogmatic standards wanted this statement adopted:  "Evolution is a fundamental concept underlying all modern biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence and teachers should be permitted to engage students in a critical analysis of that evidence."  (Proposed changes in italics)  

So how is critically analyzing evidence a bad thing?  Well, if you are a faithful Darwinist, you vigorously fight against this doctrine being criticized.  No wonder the Darwinists boldly declare there is no debate over evolution: they shut down such debate and fight to prevent it from taking place in the first place.   

Accordingly, the Sentinel opines "[t]he scientific method has led evolution to be widely accepted as fact."  But this utterly fails to distinguish between the wholly different concepts of micro and macro-evolution.  Micro-evolution, or change within a species, has been observed empirically and is an undisputed scientific reality. 

In contrast, macro- evolution, is a "theory" that one species could have changed into a wholly different species-- something we have never observed and for which the evidence is weak. Evolutionists say that rats, over time, evolved into bats.  But the fossil record contains rats, and bats, but no transitional "rat-bats". That's just one missing link.  There are literally millions of missing links.  If the bio chemical theory of macro evolution is true, the fossil record ought to be flooded with transitional forms of every type and species.  True transitional forms, with both fins and feathers, feathers and fur, and fur and fins.  But it is not. 

This is precisely the type of scientific criticism that should be taught, but is discouraged, if not totally prohibited by the adopted biology standards.   Finally, it is well documented that teachers who criticize Darwinism could pay a high price. This spring, a major motion picture documentary will be released in theaters nationwide featuring Ben Stein entitled, Expelled that documents the stories of scientists who have experienced persecution of their academic freedom because they criticized evolution. Public school teachers also need to know they can criticize prevailing scientific models without fear or reprimand, harassment or termination.