UK Government Mandates the Teaching of Evolution As Scientific Fact

An anonymous reader writes "A story at the BBC explains how the UK government has put an extra clause into a funding bill to ensure that any new 'free schools' (independent schools run by groups of parents or organizations, but publicly-funded) must teach evolution rather than creationism or potentially lose their funding. 'The new rules state that from 2013, all free schools in England must teach evolution as a 'comprehensive and coherent scientific theory.' The move follows scientists's concerns that free schools run by creationists might avoid teaching evolution. Sir Paul Nurse, president of the Royal Society, said it was 'delighted.' Sir Paul told BBC News the previous rules on free schools and the teaching of evolution versus creationism had been 'not tight enough.'"

Comments

Re:good

[Thansal]

No, bad.

Just because it is the supported theory, and all the archeological evidence does support it, and we of the scientific community hold that it is the 99% best supported explanation, it is not a fact.

If it was truly a fact, then no more resources would be spent studying evolution. And, it is way too soon to close that checkbook.

I really think it is bad when politicians and fools get involved with science.

and that's why you at least read the summary, instead of the terribly written title:

"...all free schools in England must teach evolution as a 'comprehensive and coherent scientific theory.'"

They aren't required to teach it as fact, they are simply required to actually teach it (no hand waving or "the evil overlords that oppose us require us to tell you about their lies").