The Santorum amendment also stated that, "good science education should prepare students to distinguish the data or testable theories of science from philosophical or religious claims that are made in the name of science." The clause sounds like something any scientist could support, but coupled with the other provision singling out evolution as controversial, it set off alarm bells from Capitol Hill to California.
"To someone not familiar with the rhetoric of the antievolution movement, it looked like a straightforward, 'let's all be critical thinkers' approach," says Eugenie Scott, director of the National ..Center for Science Education (NCSE) in Oakland, Calif. (See Profile, page 60). But, "the fact that evolution is singled out from all other potentially controversial topics shows that this is an antievolution measure," she adds. Besides, evolution is not controversial among biologists, insisted Ellen Paul, public policy representative for the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS).
they simply wanted their supporters to be able to stand up in a school board meeting or state legislature hearing and say that Congress has gone 'on record' in support of teaching alternatives to evolution"—which is what they can, in fact, say.
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