Today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports on views of candidates for statewide office in Arkansas on the issue of teaching intelligent design. Not surprisingly, views are mixed. Of particular interest are the views of Democratic nominee for governor, Mike Beebe. He says that he believes in intelligent design, and that information on it should be "available" to students. However he did not indicate whether he thought the theory should be a required part of the state's public school curriculum. He argued that availability "would provide Arkansas students background they need to wrestle with these and other fundamental questions as they become adults. I believe both should be available because one is the consensus theory of the scientific community, and the other is the predominant belief of most Arkansans and Americans."
Beebe did not say whether the theory should be a required part of the state’s curriculum.
By contrast, Democratic candidates for attorney general and lieutenant governor say the science curriculum should be left to science teachers, not politicians. AG candidate for Dustin McDaniel said: It's up to our churches and our families to explain exactly how the scientific parts of the universe are created by God. He added, "I’m not running to be the state’s science officer."
Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Jim Holt, said teachers should have the option to teach about intelligent design. He called evolution "a fraud theory" and argued that keeping ID out of public schools is censorship.
UPDATE: On Monday, Democratic nominee for governor Mike Beebe clarified that while he believes information on intelligent design should be available to students, court rulings require that the theory be taught only in churches, faith organizations and private groups. (Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Aug. 15).
