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 * President Bush's views on the Intelligent Design vs. Evolution debate:**

==**I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought," Bush said. You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes."²**==

On April 1, 2005, during a round-table interview with reporters from five Texas newspapers, President George W. Bush remarked that he believed intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution in public schools "...so people can understand what the debate is about."¹ While he does oppose the idea of the federal government choosing school's curriculum instead of individual school districts, he backs his pro-intelligent design statements by adding that school is a place to be exposed to different ideas and thoughts. This was the first time President Bush had remarked on intelligent design during an interview. President George Bush also defended Baltimore Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who was suspended for using steroids. President Bush declined to share his personal views on intelligent design with the reporters. The President had previously stated in Science Magazine in the March 2005 issue that "scientific critiques of any theory should be a normal part of the science curriculum."¹

"**THE PRESIDENT**: I think -- as I said, harking back to my days as my governor . . . Then, I said that, first of all, that decision should be made to local school districts, but I felt like both sides ought to be properly taught. "**Q** Both sides should be properly taught? "**THE PRESIDENT**: Yes, people -- so people can understand what the debate is about. "**Q** So the answer accepts the validity of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution? "**THE PRESIDENT**: I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought, and I'm not suggesting -- you're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes.³
 * __The Interview:__**
 * Q** I wanted to ask you about the -- what seems to be a growing debate over evolution versus intelligent design. What are your personal views on that, and do you think both should be taught in public schools?

In response to President Bush's remarks, the American Geophysical Union, a scientific society of 43,000 members in the earth and space sciences and the National Science Teachers Association issued statements against the inclusion of intelligent design being taught in the classroom.

We stand with the nation's leading scientific organizations and scientists, including __Dr. John Marburger__, the president's top science advisor, in stating that intelligent design is not science. Intelligent design has no place in the science classroom.³
 * Statement Issued by Gerry Wheeler, NSTA Executive Director:**


 * [[image:http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2006/marburger-john.jpg width="86" height="134" caption="Dr. John Marburger III"]]

Dr. John Marburger wished to play down the remarks made by President Bush:** Mr. Marburger said in a telephone interview [with the New York Times] that "evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology" and "intelligent design is not a scientific concept." Mr. Marburger also said that Mr. Bush's remarks should be interpreted to mean that the president believes that intelligent design should be discussed as part of the "social context" in science classes. 4

"It's what I've been pushing, it's what a lot of us have been pushing," and said that evolution "is too often taught as fact," and that "if you're going to teach the Darwinian theory as evolution, teach it as theory. And then teach another theory that has the most support among scientists." 4
 * Dr. Richard Land, the president of the ethics and religous liberties commision of the Southern Baptist Convention, and has close ties to the White House also commented on President Bush's interview:**

The Discovery Institute in Seattle, a leader in developing intelligent design, was also happy to hear President Bush's remarks.

Even though what President Bush stated sounded fair, it isn't. In the end, Intelligent Design is a religous opinion, not fact, and teaching it in school even if to simply learn about it in a social context would not be appropriate for a science classroom. The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, called the president's comments irresponsible, and said that "when it comes to evolution, there is only one school of scientific thought, and that is evolution occurred and is still occurring." Mr. Lynn added that "when it comes to matters of religion and philosophy, they can be discussed objectively in public schools, but not in biology class." 4

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080201686_2.html http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/08/02/bush_endorses_intelligent_design/ **http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2005/US/231_president_bush_endorses_intell_8_3_2005.asp http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/politics/03bush.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8792302/
 * 1) Bush Remarks On 'Intelligent Design' Theory Fuel Debate**
 * 2) Bush endorses 'intelligent design'**
 * 3) President Bush Endorses Intelligent Design?
 * 4) Bush Remarks Roil Debate on Teaching of Evolution**
 * 5) Bush: Schools should teach intelligent design**