Dover Area School = District

SCHOOL BOARD=20 PRESS RELEASE FOR BIOLOGY CURRICULUM--updated=20 11/19/04

Dover =20 Area Board =20 of = Directors

Biology = Curriculum =20 Press Release

=20

The Dover=20 Area School District, would like to make the following = statement as=20 a press release concerning the Dover Area School District = Biology=20 curriculum. No official statement has = been given=20 prior to today because the curriculum update and work on the = curriculum implementation was not complete, and the district = was not=20 interested in giving out bits and pieces of the curriculum = effort at=20 various times. The Dover Area School = District was=20 interested in working on a curriculum that included = individual=20 comments and suggestions from the School Board, community,=20 administration, teachers, and our solicitor. = The=20 Dover Area School District now has a completed Biology = Curriculum=20 and implementation procedure. In an attempt to clarify and = correct=20 information the District would like to now state the=20 following:

Over the past seven months, the Dover Area = School=20 District Board of Directors has been updating its Science = and=20 Biology Curriculum and adopting and approving support = materials=20 including textbooks. The School Board has = made a=20 considerable effort to develop and adopt a fair and balanced = science=20 curriculum. During this discussion = numerous=20 individuals and the media have made confusing, conflicting, = and=20 inaccurate statements. Many of these = statements=20 have been personal opinions or misunderstood interpretations = of=20 District activities and curriculum directives. =20 Some statements and opinions from the media, = community=20 members, and board members have been assumed as official = Dover Area=20 School District policy or curriculum procedures and are=20 significantly inaccurate and false. The = following=20 is the Dover Area School District official and current = history and=20 Biology curriculum and procedure.

The Science Department teachers researched = and=20 recommended to the administration the science book, = Biology=20 (Prentice Hall) as the textbook for our High School Biology=20 class. The Dover Area School District = adopted,=20 approved, and purchased 220 copies of the teacher-and=20 administration-recommended book.

The district also received as a donation 60 = copies of=20 Of Pandas and People and the book is now listed as a=20 reference book in the curriculum. It is = not a=20 required text, but in an effort to present a balanced = curriculum the=20 book is made available to all students who wish to review = the=20 book.

The Biology curriculum was also updated to = include=20 the following statement:

=EF=BF=BDStudents will be made aware of = gaps/problems in=20 Darwin=EF=BF=BDs Theory and of other theories of evolution = including, but=20 not limited to Intelligent Design. The Origins of Life is = not=20 taught.=EF=BF=BD

The Assistant Superintendent in charge of = curriculum=20 development, Mr. Baksa, in coordination with the Science = department=20 teachers, the district solicitor, and the School Board has = developed=20 the following procedural statement to use in implementing = the new=20 Biology curriculum language. The = following will=20 be read to all students:

=20 =EF=BF=BDThe state standards require students to = learn about=20 Darwin=EF=BF=BDs Theory of

=20 Evolution and to eventually take a standardized test = of which=20 evolution

=20 is a part.

=20 Because Darwin=EF=BF=BDs Theory is a theory, it is = still being tested=20 as new

=20 evidence is discovered. The Theory = is not=20 a fact. Gaps in the=20 Theory

=20 exist for which there is no evidence. = A=20 theory is defined as a = well-tested

=20 explanation that unifies a broad range of=20 observations.

=20 Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of = life=20 that differs

=20 from Darwin=EF=BF=BDs view. The = reference book,=20 Of Pandas and People, is

=20 available for students to see if they would like to = explore=20 this view

=20 in an effort to gain an understanding of what = Intelligent=20 Design actually

=20 involves. As is true with any = theory,=20 students are encouraged to keep =

=20 an open mind.

=20 The school leaves the discussion of the Origins of = Life up to=20 individual

=20 students and their families. As a=20 standards-driven district, = class

=20 instruction focuses on the standards and preparing = students=20 to

=20 be successful on standards-based=20 assessments.=EF=BF=BD

The statements were developed to provide a = balanced=20 view, not teach or present religious beliefs. = The=20 Superintendent, Dr. Richard Nilsen, is on record stating = that no=20 teacher will teach Intelligent Design, Creationism, or = present=20 his/her or the board=EF=BF=BDs religious = beliefs. The=20 Dover Area School District wants to support and not = discriminate=20 against students and parents that do have competing beliefs, = especially in the area of the origin of life debate. = Therefore, the=20 School Board has noted that there are other opinions besides = Darwin=EF=BF=BDs on the origin of life. = School districts=20 are places for inquiry and critical discussions. = The above statement and the Dover Area School = District=EF=BF=BDs=20 Biology Curriculum is only providing that opportunity for = open=20 critical discussions =EF=BF=BD the real heart of the = scientific=20 practice.

Mr. Baksa, and Dr. Nilsen will monitor the=20 instruction to make sure no one is promoting but also not = inhibiting=20 religion.

Posted 11/19/04=EF=BF=BD12:00=20 = p.m.


	Copyright =C2=A92002 Schoolwires, Inc. All rights = reserved.=20