Creationists began attacking the PBS series Evolution even before it began to air. A steady stream of misinformation and bad science came from such organizations as Answers in Genesis, the Discovery Institute, and the Institute for Creation Research.

NCSE responded to many of the claims made by these groups, often consulting with leading scientists in various fields.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Authorization Act which is headed for the President's signature does not contain the antievolution "Santorum amendment", though there is brief mention of the topic of evolution in explanatory materials appended to the law. The good news for teachers is that they will not have to teach evolution any differently as a result of the new legislation.

Background

Since the summer of 2001, a joint Senate-House conference committee has attempted to resolve the House and Senate versions of the Elementary and

Science Excellence for All Ohioans (SEAO), a group described on their web site as a project of the American Family Association of Ohio, claims that the biggest problem in science education in Ohio is the "censoring" of "evidence for design." Their mission includes lobbying for changes in the newly introduced statewide science standards to include intelligent design (ID). Also posted on their web site is a bill, not yet introduced in the Ohio legislature, calling for "both

NCSE in cooperation with the University of California Museum of Paleontology has prepared a "Blueprint for an Evolution Education Workshop." This "how to" guide is a project arising from discussions held at the National Conference on the Teaching of Evolution, held in October, 2000 in Berkeley (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/ncte/).