69ý

Education A National Roundup

District Primary Election Splits on Science Policy

By Sean Cavanagh — May 24, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The primary-election results for the school board in Dover, Pa., last week appeared to reflect divisions over a district policy mandating that students be introduced to “intelligent design” in science classes.

A crowd of 18 candidates in the May 17 primary competed to run for seven seats on the Dover Area School District’s nine-member board.

A slate of seven candidates, all of whom oppose the inclusion of intelligent design in science classes, earned enough votes to win spots on the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election. Those candidates will face seven incumbents, all of whom were also victorious, and all of whom are believed to support the 3,600-student district’s policy that casts doubt on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The Dover school board voted last fall to revise the science curriculum to require that students be made aware of “gaps/ problems in Darwin’s theory” and of “other theories of evolution, including, but not limited to, intelligent design.”

That decision, approved by a 6-3 vote, quickly emerged as a charged issue in the primary. The policy has drawn scorn from the mainstream scientific community, which regards intelligent design as a religious belief, not a legitimate scientific theory. It has also sparked a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is seeking to reverse the policy.

Related Tags:

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 2, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read