The state Texas Board of Education is considering what textbooks to allow into the state public schools. Among the books that the board must consider are science books, and those that deal with evolution. Because many members of the Texas Board of Education are “conservative” ( read: religious fanatics), they will either reject or accept those science books that state that evolution is a “theory.” Because of this distinction, many publishers will change the language of the textbooks to suit the school system in Texas. Texas has the second largest public school system in the country after California, and so the Texas Board of Education has a lot of pull. Also, Texas is the largest publisher of textbooks in the country. However, one publisher, Pearson Education, has made it clear that it will NOT make any changes to its textbooks.  

                                    Pearson Education has resisted any major changes to its textbooks because they are convinced that evolution is a fact and that the whole concept of creation science is not science and has been struck down long ago by the U.S. Supreme Court as religion in disguise. But do not tell this to many members of the Texas Board of Education. They wield too much power and they clearly have an agenda to try and make all science textbooks “conform” with their viewpoints. As far as I am concerned, evolution is a proven fact. That all which has existed and all which exists now has indeed evolved over millions of years and is still evolving (all except some on the Texas Board of Education). The man who coined the term “evolution,” Charles Darwin, was the first to explain what evolution is, but all other scientists since him have accepted evolution as fact. Even those who study man accept evolution as a fact.

                                  There are also many, many people who are just as God believing as some of the people on the Texas Board of Education who accept the concept of evolution as fact. Those who are just as religiously inclined do not see evolution as contradicting the Bible or the view that humanity was “created.” They see evolution as a long series of miracles of what and who we are. The whole concept of science is to try and find the truth. I can only hope that a truly brave publisher like Pearson Education sticks to its guns and does not change its textbooks any time soon. I would hate to think of America becoming a theocracy like the Islamic Republic of Iran where they cannot learn about evolution (or, for that matter, the Holocaust either).