Many topics in the curriculum of American schools are controversial, but perhaps the one with the longest tenure is evolution. Politics plays a role in this controversy in a number of ways. Politicians have keen antennae for cultural values, and the "fairness" argument (i.e., it is only "fair" to "balance" evolution with creationism) regularly is exploited, regardless of the appropriateness of its application to science education. Variants of the fairness argument such as balancing evolution with "scientific alternatives to evolution" or balancing evolution with "strengths and weaknesses of evolution" have in fact become the current predominant antievolutionist strategy, partly in response to a series of legal decisions that have excluded the advocacy of creationism in public schools.

Science presentations by:

• Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, Senior Project Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA
• Dr. James R. Doty, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery, Stanford University

Discussion leaders:

• Dr. Peter M. J. Hess, Director of Outreach to Religious Communities, National Center for Science Education, Oakland, California
• Dr. Deborah Gil, Professor of Biblical Studies and Exposition, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
• Rev. Dr. Leonard Hummel, Professor of Pastoral Theology, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg