Working with many of its Member Societies, the American Institute of
Physics began last year to take a more active role in trying to ensure
that the science taught in K-12 classrooms remains high-quality, peer-reviewed
science and is not diluted by religious theories. AIP and its Member
Societies monitored attempts to weaken the teaching of the theory of
evolution, or to introduce into science classes theories that incorporate
supernatural explanations for natural events and do not represent peer-reviewed
science. Such proposals were attempted through legislation, alteration
of classroom science standards, and textbook revisions, in Louisiana,
New Mexico, Texas, Michigan, and other states. Also in the past year,
the Council of AIP's student organization, the Society of Physics Students,
issued a revised position statement on the teaching of science.
In the State of New Mexico, which was conducting a review of its classroom
science standards, officials of AIP, the American Physical Society,
the American Geophysical Union, the Optical Society of America, and
AVS - the Science and Technology Society, urged the New Mexico Board
of Education to adopt the revised science standards as developed by
"qualified and respected New Mexico science teachers, scientists,
and university professors." In their August 19 letter to board
members, the society officials continued, "We urge you to continue
supporting high science standards in New Mexico science curricula and
not to be swayed by unreliable information. Your diligence will ensure
that New Mexico students will be better equipped for higher education
and the workplace."
Responding to a Texas State review of biology textbooks, officials
of AIP, APS, AGU and OSA signed an October 15 letter to the relevant
textbook publishers, which stated, in part, "We believe that religious
doctrine – in any guise – does not belong in science classrooms.....
Texas' textbook-buying practices heavily influence the nation's textbooks
purchases. In the U.S., the only opportunity for most people to learn
science in a formal setting occurs in grades K-12. We cannot accept
or recommend textbooks that include religious tenets disguised as science."
The societies also coordinated a letter to the Texas State Board of
Education, which was signed by over 550 local scientists and teachers,
calling on the Board "to choose only textbooks that present accepted,
peer-reviewed science and pedagogical expertise." Signatories to
the letter included Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg and former Presidential
Science Advisor Neal Lane.
In both the New Mexico and Texas cases, the standards and textbooks
were approved as recommended by the appropriate bodies of experts, and
not amended in ways that would weaken the evidence for evolution nor
broadened to incorporate non-peer reviewed theories. Proposed legislation
in several states did not make it through the legislative process. With
its Member Societies, AIP will continue keep abreast of such situations
as they arise in the future.
In October, the Council of the Society of Physics Students and the
Sigma Pi Sigma honor society updated a previous position statement which
addressed teaching about the structure and evolution of the universe.
The revised statement follows:
2003 SPS Statement on Evolution and Science Education
"Recently, some political and educational groups have
attempted to undermine the importance of teaching the concepts of
biological and cosmological evolution, thereby rejecting the consensus
of the scientific community. Ideas about the structure and evolution
of the universe, including Earth and its life forms, are unifying
concepts in science. The development of students' informed views about
these concepts is essential to a knowledge of science. These concepts
should therefore be included and emphasized as a part of science frameworks
and curricula for all students. The Society of Physics Students (SPS)
recognizes that decisions about science education standards are the
purview of state and local authorities; however, the position of SPS
is that such decisions should involve education experience and scientific
expertise, and be based on the body of research in science, pedagogy,
and cognitive development. SPS encourages science educators and scientists
to participate in the development of science education standards by
involving themselves in the decision-making processes of state and
local school boards."
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