NMSR presents "Do NM's Standards Embrace Intelligent Design?"

NMSR presents

"Do NM's Science Standards Embrace Intelligent Design?"

by Dave Thomas : nmsrdaveATswcp.com (Help fight SPAM! Please replace the AT with an @)

In the August 21, 2005 issue of the New York Times (Sunday edition), Jodi Wilgoren writes

"President Bush's signature education law, known as No Child Left Behind, also helped, as mandatory testing prompted states to rewrite curriculum standards. Ohio, New Mexico and Minnesota have embraced the [Discovery] institute's 'teach the controversy' approach; Kansas is expected to follow suit in the fall. ..."

Alas, Ms. Wilgoren is sorely mistaken. Her mistake appears to be in believing Intelligent Design supporters' claims about the status of state science standards, rather than, say, facts from the educators and school officials who actually developed those standards.

In the interest of preventing Seattle's Discovery Institute and New Mexico's chapter of IDnet from revising New Mexico's history, NMSR is pleased to present the following comparisons of the changes to standards Intelligent Design supporters asked for, versus what they actually got. This discussion appliesd to New Mexico's current Science Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards, which were approved on August 28th, 2003.

Four days before this vote, on Aug. 24th, IDnet-NM capped months of intense lobbying of state education officials by publishing a full-page ad in the Sunday Journal, saying that "the goal of completely objective language has not yet been met," and pleading for people to get involved.

To get an idea of what IDnet's "Objective Language" involved, we have used the document IDnet-NM posted on its website in the summer of 2003, titled "IDnet-NM Proposal for Alternative and Added Language to the 2003 Field Review Draft Science Standards, dated May 27, 2003, Submitted to the individual members of the New Mexico State Board of Education,July 21, 2003."

Here follows what was in the spring standards draft ("Field Review Draft Standards"), the "objective language" changes IDnet-NM asked for, and what was actually passed by the State Board of Education on August 28th.

Did IDnet-NM get what they asked for? Do the new Science Standards encourage students to "embrace the controversy" over evolution? Look over what actually was adopted, and then decide!

Specific Strand, Standard Field Review (Spring 2003) IDnet-NM's Suggested Replacement Language What was Adopted on August 28, 2003 by the NM State Board of Education

Strand I, Standard I

Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, predicting, experimenting, and validating to think critically.

Understand the nature and processes of scientific investigation and apply critical thinking to the activities of skeptical inquiry, observation, predictions, experiments, and validation.

Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically.

Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1

Use accepted scientific methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations and to design and conduct scientific investigations and communicate results.

Use accepted scientific methods to design and conduct scientific investigations; collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations; and communicate results.

Use accepted scientific methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations and to design and conduct scientific investigations and communicate results.

Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1, suggested new Performance Standard #1

Understand that observation and experiment form the basis of scientific investigation and are the principle means by which science establishes certainty or confidence in its findings.

Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1, Performance Standards

2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include:
* testable hypotheses
* controls and variables
* methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data
* results that address hypotheses being investigated
* predictions based on results
*re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary
* error analysis.

2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include:
*detailed observation of phenomena under investigation
* formulation of a testable hypothesis based on a plausible mechanism
* establishing controls and variables to isolate causal mechanisms and their effects
* developing methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data
* design, conduct, and documentation of experiments
* testing hypotheses against results
* new predictions based on results
* re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary
* error analysis
* demonstrate repeatability and reproducibility of experimental results.

2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include:
* testable hypotheses
* controls and variables
* methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data
* results that address hypotheses being investigated
* predictions based on results
*re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary
* error analysis.

Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #1

1. Understand how scientific processes produce valid, reliable results

1. Understand the features of the scientific process that protect the integrity of scientific investigation and the credibility of its findings.

1. Understand how scientific processes produce valid, reliable results

Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #6

Compare the processes and logic used in scientific investigation of past events (e.g., using data from crime scenes or fossils), investigation that can be planned in advance but is only done once (e.g., expensive or time-consuming experiments such as medical clinical trials or some Hubble telescope work), and investigation of phenomena that can be repeated easily and frequently.

Distinguish between historical evidence (e.g., crime scene investigation or reconstruction of the history of life) and observational or experimental evidence (e.g., eyewitness to a crime or study of the fossil record);

* understand the logical problems encountered when attempting to form conclusions based on historical data; and

* understand how present scientific knowledge can be used to contribute to an understanding of past events.

Examine the scientific processes and logic used in investigations of past events (e.g., using data from crime scenes, fossils), investigations that can be planned in advance but are only done once (e.g., expensive or time-consuming experiments such as medical clinical trials), and investigations of phenomena that can be repeated easily and frequently.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II

Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve.

Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how the evolutionary model is used to explain the diversity of species.

Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II, Grade 6 Performance Standard

fossil record provides data for how living organisms have evolved.

evaluate the predictions of evolution by natural selection against major features of the fossil record.

Understand that the fossil record provides data for how living organisms have evolved.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II, Grade 7 Performance Standard

Explain how evolution is used to explain the diversity of living things.

Evaluate the evolutionary model and its ability to explain the diversity of living things.

Explain that diversity within a species is developed by gradual changes over many generations.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #8

Analyze the data and observations supporting the conclusion that species living on Earth today are related by descent from common ancestral species originating over 3 billion years ago.

Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that species living on Earth today are related by descent from common ancestral species originating over 3 billion years ago.

Describe the evidence for the first appearance of life on Earth as one-celled organisms, over 3.5 billion years ago, and for the later appearance of a diversity of multicellular organisms over millions of years.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #9

Understand the data and observations supporting the conclusion that species today have evolved from those earlier, distinctly different species.

Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that species today have evolved from those earlier, distinctly different species.

Critically analyze the data and observations supporting the conclusion that the species living on Earth today are related by descent from the ancestral one-celled organisms.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #10

Examine the data and observations supporting the conclusion that one-celled organisms evolved into increasingly complex multi-cellular organisms.

Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that one-celled organisms evolved into increasingly complex multi-cellular organisms.

Understand the data, observations, and logic supporting the conclusion that species today evolved from earlier, distinctly different species, originating from the ancestral one-celled organisms

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #11

Understand that evolution is a consequence of many factors: the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.

Understand that the evolutionary model entails several factors: the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.

Understand that evolution is a consequence of many factors, including the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #12

Explain how natural selection favors individuals who are better able to survive, reproduce, and leave offspring.

Comments: Tautological but this seems to be a necessary part of the evolutionary theory. It would be good to delete it.

Explain how natural selection favors individuals who are better able to survive, reproduce, and leave offspring.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #13

Explain how evolution by natural selection can explain phenomena including the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (including similarities in DNA) among species.

Evaluate the predictions of evolution by natural selection against features of the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (including similarities in DNA) among species.

Analyze how evolution by natural selection and other mechanisms explains many phenomena including the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (both physical and molecular) among different species.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark III, Performance Standard #1

Know the biochemical composition of cells (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, DNA, amino acids) and that cells are made of proteins composed of combinations of amino acids.

Understand the biochemical composition of cells (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, DNA, amino acids) and that proteins are composed of combinations of amino acids.

Know that cells are made of proteins composed of combinations of amino acids.

Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark III, New Performance Standard #1

Understand the cell as a highly integrated and regulated biological system incorporating information storage, information processing, biochemical processes, molecular machinery, transportation systems, and maintenance and repair systems.

Additional Resources
New Mexicans for Science & Reason (NMSR) and the Coalition for Excellence in Science and Math Education (CESE) co-hosted a workshop with representatives from the Public Education Department (PED), former state education officials, teachers and professors on "How Will New Mexico's New Science Standards Affect the Teaching of Evolution?" This workshop was held on Wednesday, April 14th, 2004, and an on-line summary of the proceedings is available here.

On July 20, 2004, the Public Education Department's Science consultant, Dr. Richard Reif, wrote to former Statee Board of Education member Marshall Berman, regarding attempts of local "Intelligent Design" advocates to persuade teachers that the new standards allow teaching of "alternate theories of origin." (CLICK for PDF). In this letter, Dr. Reif states "In no way do the science standards support the teaching of notions of intelligent design or creation science or any of its variations."

State Board of Education member Flora Sanchez , during the hearing on the adoption of the standards (August 28, 2003), said explicitly that the newly-adopted standards were not intended to allow discussions of "Intelligent Design" in NM schools. As reported by Diana Heil of the Santa Fe New Mexican on August 29, 2003,"Board member Flora Sanchez put a stop to mixed messages, though. She clarified this point: The state is not asking teachers to present all the alternatives to evolution and 'put them on an equal footing.'..." (This is on-line here, here, and even on the ARN site.)

NMSR's article about the standards adoption in 2003 is on-line here.

New Article on the Panda's Thumb: "New Mexico Science Standards Do Not Support ID’s Concept of Teach the 'Controversy'" by Marshall Berman and Dave Thomas

NMSR Site Map

Specific Strand, Standard	Field Review (Spring 2003)	IDnet-NM's Suggested Replacement Language	What was Adopted on August 28, 2003 by the NM State Board of Education
Strand I, Standard I	Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, predicting, experimenting, and validating to think critically.	Understand the nature and processes of scientific investigation and apply critical thinking to the activities of skeptical inquiry, observation, predictions, experiments, and validation.	Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically.
Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1	Use accepted scientific methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations and to design and conduct scientific investigations and communicate results.	Use accepted scientific methods to design and conduct scientific investigations; collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations; and communicate results.	Use accepted scientific methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations and to design and conduct scientific investigations and communicate results.
Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1, suggested new Performance Standard #1		Understand that observation and experiment form the basis of scientific investigation and are the principle means by which science establishes certainty or confidence in its findings.
Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark 1, Performance Standards	2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include: * testable hypotheses * controls and variables * methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data * results that address hypotheses being investigated * predictions based on results re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary error analysis.	2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include: detailed observation of phenomena under investigation formulation of a testable hypothesis based on a plausible mechanism * establishing controls and variables to isolate causal mechanisms and their effects * developing methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data * design, conduct, and documentation of experiments * testing hypotheses against results * new predictions based on results * re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary * error analysis * demonstrate repeatability and reproducibility of experimental results.	2. Design and conduct scientific investigations that include: * testable hypotheses * controls and variables * methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data * results that address hypotheses being investigated * predictions based on results re-evaluation of hypotheses and additional experimentation as necessary error analysis.
Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #1	1. Understand how scientific processes produce valid, reliable results	1. Understand the features of the scientific process that protect the integrity of scientific investigation and the credibility of its findings.	1. Understand how scientific processes produce valid, reliable results
Strand I, Standard I, 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #6	Compare the processes and logic used in scientific investigation of past events (e.g., using data from crime scenes or fossils), investigation that can be planned in advance but is only done once (e.g., expensive or time-consuming experiments such as medical clinical trials or some Hubble telescope work), and investigation of phenomena that can be repeated easily and frequently.	Distinguish between historical evidence (e.g., crime scene investigation or reconstruction of the history of life) and observational or experimental evidence (e.g., eyewitness to a crime or study of the fossil record); * understand the logical problems encountered when attempting to form conclusions based on historical data; and * understand how present scientific knowledge can be used to contribute to an understanding of past events.	Examine the scientific processes and logic used in investigations of past events (e.g., using data from crime scenes, fossils), investigations that can be planned in advance but are only done once (e.g., expensive or time-consuming experiments such as medical clinical trials), and investigations of phenomena that can be repeated easily and frequently.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II	Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve.	Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how the evolutionary model is used to explain the diversity of species.	Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II, Grade 6 Performance Standard	fossil record provides data for how living organisms have evolved.	evaluate the predictions of evolution by natural selection against major features of the fossil record.	Understand that the fossil record provides data for how living organisms have evolved.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 5-8 Benchmark II, Grade 7 Performance Standard	Explain how evolution is used to explain the diversity of living things.	Evaluate the evolutionary model and its ability to explain the diversity of living things.	Explain that diversity within a species is developed by gradual changes over many generations.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #8	Analyze the data and observations supporting the conclusion that species living on Earth today are related by descent from common ancestral species originating over 3 billion years ago.	Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that species living on Earth today are related by descent from common ancestral species originating over 3 billion years ago.	Describe the evidence for the first appearance of life on Earth as one-celled organisms, over 3.5 billion years ago, and for the later appearance of a diversity of multicellular organisms over millions of years.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #9	Understand the data and observations supporting the conclusion that species today have evolved from those earlier, distinctly different species.	Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that species today have evolved from those earlier, distinctly different species.	Critically analyze the data and observations supporting the conclusion that the species living on Earth today are related by descent from the ancestral one-celled organisms.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #10	Examine the data and observations supporting the conclusion that one-celled organisms evolved into increasingly complex multi-cellular organisms.	Evaluate the data and observations that bear on the claim that one-celled organisms evolved into increasingly complex multi-cellular organisms.	Understand the data, observations, and logic supporting the conclusion that species today evolved from earlier, distinctly different species, originating from the ancestral one-celled organisms
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #11	Understand that evolution is a consequence of many factors: the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.	Understand that the evolutionary model entails several factors: the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.	Understand that evolution is a consequence of many factors, including the ability of organisms to reproduce, genetic variability, the effect of limited resources, and natural selection.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #12	Explain how natural selection favors individuals who are better able to survive, reproduce, and leave offspring.	Comments: Tautological but this seems to be a necessary part of the evolutionary theory. *It would be good to delete it*.	Explain how natural selection favors individuals who are better able to survive, reproduce, and leave offspring.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark II, Performance Standard #13	Explain how evolution by natural selection can explain phenomena including the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (including similarities in DNA) among species.	Evaluate the predictions of evolution by natural selection against features of the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (including similarities in DNA) among species.	Analyze how evolution by natural selection and other mechanisms explains many phenomena including the fossil record of ancient life forms and similarities (both physical and molecular) among different species.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark III, Performance Standard #1	Know the biochemical composition of cells (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, DNA, amino acids) and that cells are made of proteins composed of combinations of amino acids.	Understand the biochemical composition of cells (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, DNA, amino acids) and that proteins are composed of combinations of amino acids.	Know that cells are made of proteins composed of combinations of amino acids.
Strand II (Content of Science), Standard II (Life Sciences), 9-12 Benchmark III, New Performance Standard #1		Understand the cell as a highly integrated and regulated biological system incorporating information storage, information processing, biochemical processes, molecular machinery, transportation systems, and maintenance and repair systems.