AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion

Pennsylvania

Bio Book Might be Approved

by Joseph Maldonado
York Daily Record
July 14, 2004

On Aug. 2, the Dover Area School Board may vote to order a new biology book. Which book? The 2004 edition of the one they declined in June over its references to Darwinism.

The issue was discussed during Monday evening's school board meeting at North Salem Elementary School. About 20 people attended.

The book discussed last month was the 2002 edition of "Biology," published by Prentice Hall.

Assistant Supt. Michael Baksa said the new edition still meets state standards and teaches evolution. There are no references to creationism, he said.

"We looked at between six or eight books," Baksa said. "This one is still the first choice."

There were several reasons why the others were not selected, Baksa said, including readability, layout, and content as it related to curriculum.

He said neither creation nor intelligent design were a part of any books that were reviewed.

Baksa said in recent weeks, faculty members from the science department met with school board members sitting on the curriculum committee.

They talked about state standards and how those standards are met in the classroom.

Curriculum committee members are Bill Buckingham, Sheila Harkins and Carol "Casey" Brown.

After the meeting, Buckingham, who has opposed approving any book that does not teach creationism along with evolution, did not say if he would vote to approve the 2004 edition.

"You're trying to get me in trouble by asking," he said.

"If you want to know how I'll vote, come to the next meeting."