Many legal challenges to local school boards' decisions are expected from first amendment and separation of church and state organizations. It is possible that some students who run into difficulties in college will sue the state for providing them with an inadequate education. We re a long way from any real victory. In 1998, the National Academy of Sciences said that if students are to understand anything about biology, then evolution must be taught. Many students receive little or no exposure to the most important concept in modern biology.
Evolution is the unifying principle in science.
Half of the 10 seats on the State Board of Education come up for election in the year 2000. The terms of four of the six members who voted against evolution wiIl end. It should be an interesting competition. Vice-president Al Gore's office announced that he favors the teaching of evolution in public school science classes, but would not oppose instruction in creationism if taught as part of a religious course. On AUG-27, a White House spokesperson said that President Clinton accepts the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987 that public schools are not free to teach creationism.