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The American Geophysical Union has reaffirmed its position on teaching Earth history and evolution. “Scientific theories of Earth history and biological evolution are fundamental to understanding the natural world, are supported by extensive evidence and are noncontroversial within the scientific community,” the union’s updated statement says. “These principles of scientific understanding must be central elements of science education.”
The union says that no “alternative explanations” for biological evolution have been found, and that explanations of natural phenomena that appeal “to the supernatural based on religious doctrine -- and therefore cannot be tested through scientific inquiry -- are not scientific, and have no place in the science classroom. … To deny students a full understanding of the theory of evolution in the context of Earth history is to deprive them of an important part of their intellectual heritage.”
Jana Davis, chief scientist of the Chesapeake Bay Trust and chair of the union's Position Statement Task Force, said in a separate statement that “Just as scientific theories are subject to revision as knowledge and research grows, [the union’s] position statements are regularly revisited to ensure they’re in line with current understanding. … As a leader in the Earth and space science community, it is important for [the union] to be a strong voice for communicating accurate science to young audiences and inspiring young people to pursue advanced study of the sciences through early exposure to Earth and space science.”
The union also revised its position statement on K-12 science education to reflect new teaching standards from the National Research Council, the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Achieve, saying that citizens “require a solid understanding of the Earth and space sciences to address responsibly many of the issues confronting society, such as climate change, natural hazards and resource availability.”
