Bogus Report Masquerades as Science?

A far leftist activist group, called the Texas Freedom Network, (TFN), has been promoting a bogus survey purporting to say that there is NO CONTROVERSY over origins or how they are taught.  With this being one of the most controversial topics in the history of mankind, it flunks the smell test on a prima facie basis.  However, it would be instructive to see how their "results" compare to other polls across America, which have been conducted as carefully as is possible in the world of pollsters (which was decidedly NOT the case with the TFN funded one, where TFN actually supplied the "researcher" with a list of people to survey!

 

1. Zogby America 2001
2. Zogby Ohio 2002
3. Cleveland Plain Dealer 2002
4. Zogby Texas 2003
5. Steinberg California 2004
6. TFN Texas 2008 (handpicked)

Not only did TFN pick those who were invited to participate, OVER ONE-HALF of their hand-picked group (consisting of known pro-evolution segments of academia) did NOT RESPOND.  While some undoubtedly just didn't care, it is not a stretch to suggest that at least some of those who did not respond chose not to do so in order to avoid persecution (see "Expelled" below). 

Think about it:  A militant pro-evolution-only-as-fact, pro-homos_xual rights, pro-abortion group asks questions KNOWN to ruin careers of those who do not agree with their viewpoint and touts results as "science"? 

Is this science?  It sounds more like a stifling of free speech and scientific inquiry.  Is this what these particular leftist Texans call "Freedom" within their "Network"? They certainly are NOT "mainstream" in their thoughts.

Proper Polls Show Teaching Weaknesses Enjoys a Wide Range of Support Across America

The issue of teaching weaknesses of or alternatives to evolutionary dogma to our children is a clear winner across the landscape of America .  Gallup polls routinely show that only a small minority (typically less than 15%) of Americans actually believe, even after decades of nearly exclusive evolutionary instruction, that a purely naturalistic materialistic evolution is capable of explaining life. 

The Zogby polling group specifically examined whether weaknesses to or alternatives to evolution should be presented, or whether evolution should be presented in public schools exclusively.  In August of 2001, they found that 71% of those polled agreed with the statement that "Biology teachers should teach Darwin 's theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it."  Only 15% agreed that "Biology teachers should teach only Darwin 's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it."  That poll goes on to examine the question of "When Darwin's theory of evolution is taught in school, students should also be able to learn about scientific evidence that points to an intelligent design of life."  78% agreed with the statement, either strongly (53%) or somewhat (25%).  Only 13% disagreed, either strongly (8%) or somewhat (5%).[i]

Later in Ohio , even in the face of withering fire from those that would ultimately censor weaknesses in evolution from schools, Zogby found that 65% thought that "Biology teachers should teach Darwin 's theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it."  Only 19% agreed that "Biology teachers should teach only Darwin 's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it."  Similarly on the question of "When Darwin's theory of evolution is taught in school, students should also be able to learn about scientific evidence that points to an intelligent design of life",   78% agreed with the statement, either strongly (55%) or somewhat (23%).  Only 13% disagreed, either strongly (10%) or somewhat (3%).[ii]

Similarly, the Cleveland Plain Dealer conducted a poll during their controversy.  It showed, among other things, that only 13% of respondents agreed with a purely naturalistic explanation of life, only 8% would agree that teaching biologic evolution exclusively was correct (59% would specifically teach both evolution and intelligent design (Ohio's issue), another 15% would teach weaknesses of evolution but not intelligent design).[iii]

The most recent confirmation of this specific to Texas was conducted by the highly revered Zogby polling organization.  It found that a remarkable 75% agreed that "The state board of education should approve biology textbooks that teach Darwin's theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it."  In another question specifically addressing whether the board should enforce the existing requirement to teach both strengths and weaknesses, 82% agreed.  Yet another question tested whether biology teachers should teach both sides, and 76% agreed!  The last question was not specifically related to the question before the Texas SBOE, but asked if Intelligent Design should be taught alongside evolution, and a whopping 84% agreed either strongly (64%) or somewhat (20%).  The most likely to agree included 18-29 year olds and Hispanics.[iv]

Summary of  Polls
 

	Teach Strengths and Weaknesses of Evolution  (but no I.D.)	State Board of Education Should Enforce Teaching Strengths and Weaknesses	Teach Evolution and I.D.	Against Evol. and I.D. being taught	Teach Evol. Only
Zogby USA August 2001	71%		78%	13%
Zogby Ohio 2002	65%		78%	13%
Cleveland Plain Dealer 2002	74%		59%	8%	8%
Zogby Texas August 2003	75%/76% (Q 2b/5b)	82%	64%ST +20%SW =84%	7%ST +5%SW =12%	18%

Who represents 'mainstream' America and who are really the 'extremists'? (SW=Somewhat Agree, ST=Strongly Agree)

In short, thinking Americans, in spite of the censorship of scientific evidence against evolution from the classroom, in academia, and in public television, have and continue to reject evolution as inadequate.  Zogby further found that younger Americans were even more likely to reject naturalistic evolution than those over 65 years of age.

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[i]   Zogby America Report, communicated from he Zogby polling group to the Discovery Institute, as archived at URL http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/ZogbyFinalReport.pdf

[ii]  Zogby Ohio Poll, communicated from he Zogby polling group to the Discovery Institute, May 8, 2002 , as archived at URL http://www.sciohio.org/OhioZogbyPoll.pdf

[iii]  Poll by the Cleveland Plain Dealer , reported June 2002, as archived at http://www.sciohio.org/CPDPoll.htm  

^[iv] Views of Texas Residents on Teaching Evolution, communicated from the Zogby International polling group to Discovery Institute, Sept. 8, 2003, archived at: http://www.strengthsandweaknesses.org/ZOGBY.Texas.2003.pdf
 

Thank You!