But those who believe in the literal accuracy of the Bible are continuing to find ways to discourage the teaching of evolution, as we've just witnessed in the recent decision by the Kansas State Board of Education. Many teachers do not have the resources or support they need to overcome these pressures. As a result, their students will hear little or nothing about evolution. It's not surprising that national surveys reveal a degree of skepticism about evolution that is not in accord with the scientific evidence. Students are the ones who suffer from this situation.
Evolution is the single most important concept in biology.
As pointed out in a guidebook released last year by the National Academy of Sciences, it has implications for medicine, agriculture, and many other fields. A detailed understanding of evolution will be essential as we strive to establish sustainable relationships with the natural world. And evolution is a scientific explanation of great power and scope. Teaching biology without explaining evolution is like teaching U.S. history without mentioning the Bill of Rights. Saying that evolution is a theory and not a fact confuses the scientific meaning of these words with their common meaning.