State Rep. Terese Berceau, D-Madison, announced a piece of legislation Tuesday that would prevent religious and political influence in science instruction in public schools.
This includes Intelligent Design, a term associated with creationism. Berceau said Intelligent Design deals with supernatural forces dictating change in living things. She said the bill would not ban Intelligent Design, but stated that it is not a science and could not be taught as one.
The bill would guarantee that any information offered as science in public K-12 schools would be testable, only include descriptions of natural processes and would be consistent with any guidelines or definitions of science as outlined by the National Academy of Science.
Berceau said the debate between evolutionary science and Intelligent Design is building all over the country with states like Kansas and Pennsylvania leading the way. She added discussions in a variety of Wisconsin communities are also springing up.
Berceau said she believes the bill is important for future scientists, as well as providing clarity over what does and does not constitute science.
'The public is being confused by the discussion that Intelligent Design is an alternative theory, but it's not a science,' Berceau said.
Jordan Smith, chair of the College Republicans, said she believes Intelligent Design should be offered to students as a theory and as an alternative science option in contrast to evolution.
'I think it should be up to local school districts to decide what they want to teach in their schools,' Smith said.
She said people should be presented with facts and left to make up their own mind.
'I don't see the need for the state Legislature to step in on this,' she said.
UW-Madison geology professor Dana Geary said the legislation has the potential to be an excellent bill.
'It's really important to keep Intelligent Design out of the science curriculum,' she said.
Geary added Intelligent Design can be taught in philosophy or religion classes, but cannot be tested and has no predictive value, therefore it does not belong in science classes.
As an intense scientific research school, both Geary and Berceau said UW-Madison would suffer if science were diluted with teachings of Intelligent Design.
Berceau added the bill was written in conjunction with 15 scientists from UW-Madison who are worried young people will not understand what science really is.
The bill will be put out for sponsorship on Wednesday.
'We are hoping that we can get this sort of bill introduced in every state in the United States,' Berceau said.
