Where the legged fish live in the Basin

The issue of evolution first went to trial in 1923. Eighty-two years later, the discussion rolls on.

From old newspaper cartoons showing monkeys voting on whether they were related to us to the 2002 stickers in Georgia science textbooks stating that evolution was a theory and not a fact, the tug-o-war between the fish and the legged fish will probably outlive all of us.

Wherever you go, people have an opinion about it and about how to teach it. As opposed to other countries, what is taught in American schools is more of a local issue than a government mandate, so the approach to teaching evolution varies geographically.

The Basin has not been a stranger to this debate, what with former state Sen. Harold Hochstatter unsuccessfully putting forth a bill that would have banned evolution from being taught in public schools in 2002.

Three years after the bill and eight decades after the Scopes Trial, how does a science teacher in this area deal with such a subject?

"It's all about good teaching," said Jennifer Carpenter, biology and physical science teacher at Moses Lake High School.

Carpenter does teach evolution in her class, but does it by presenting the topic as a scientific viewpoint, not seeking to change anybody's mind.

"What matters to me is that you learn it right," she said. "The most important thing is that when you open your mouth, you sound educated."

Sometimes, she said, students don't know what evolution is. Some other times, students talk about it without knowing what they are saying.

"People think you are (always) talking about human evolution and that is not the case," she said. "All animals evolve."

The students need to learn the basic concepts, Carpenter believes. Once they do, a better discussion can take place and both sides can better understand each other.

Last month, many an American scientist cheered when a Georgia federal judge declared unconstitutional the stickers on science textbooks which read: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

Carpenter said that while the content of the sticker was similar to her philosophy of teaching evolution, she understood the reasoning behind the court's decision, which said that the stickers placed the word "theory" closer to its common usage meaning "hunch" than to its scientific definition.

"We misuse the words hypothesis and theory in our everyday life," Carpenter said. "I guess that if you don't have a teacher who explains what a theory is, the sticker could be confusing."

Questions on Moses Lake High School science tests refer to it as "the theory of biological evolution." One of the questions asks the students to describe evidence that supports that theory.

"You have to have an open mind and expect the same of the kids," she said. "You got to teach them the science behind things and let them retain what they believe."

Sebastian Moraga is the city reporter for the Columbia Basin Herald.