November 12, 1999
Contact: Nicole Skalla, Student Union Activities, (785) 864-3477 or Todd Cohen, University Relations, (785) 864-8858.
LAWRENCE -- Two Kansas Board of Education members on opposite sides of the decision to downplay evolution in state science classrooms will discuss the issue at a public forum next week at the University of Kansas.
The panel discussion, "The New Science in Kansas Schools," is slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16 in the Kansas Union. Tickets are free and will be available at the Student Union Activities box office in the union until the event begins. The student-run SUA is sponsoring the forum. Panelists will present their positions on the school board's controversial decision to de-emphasize the teaching of evolution in Kansas public schools and then take questions from the audience.
Joining school board members SCOTT HILL of Abilene and BILL WAGNON of Topeka will be:
-- THE REV. LEO BARBEE of the Victory Bible Church;
-- ELLEN BARBER of Parents for Objective Science and History, a Lawrence group that challenged the current method of teaching of evolution in the Lawrence School District.
-- MARK DISHER, professor of philosophy and religion at Ottawa University;
-- JACK KREBS of Kansas Citizens for Science;
-- LARRY MARTIN, professor of evolutionary biology and senior curator at KU's Natural History Museum; and
-- DAVID MITCHELL of the KU group, Students First-For Inclusive Responsible Science Testing.
Board member Hill voted in favor of the new science standards while Wagnon was opposed.
For more information, call SUA at (785) 864-3477.