Bethany Collchay’s parents want Bethany to believe exactly what the Bible says. The Bible says that God created human beings and all the plants and animals. This belief is known as creationism. At Bethany’s school, however, the science teacher says that living things evolve. This idea was first written about in a book by Charles Darwin that came out in 1859. Darwin’s theory of evolution says that humans and other animals developed from common ancestors over millions of years. This theory explains similarities and differences among species. It also explains why some species survived while others became extinct. When scientists study fossils from millions of years ago, they find evidence that supports what Darwin said. Changes in flu viruses and in color patterns on birds and fishes show that evolution is going on right now.

While scientists say that evolution is undeniable, and point out that it is taught in all developed countries, people like Bethany’s parents have the right to their religious beliefs. They don’t want anything to threaten their child’s religious beliefs. When schools teach about evolution, some people fear a child’s belief in creationism could be threatened. So some people are asking schools to teach intelligent design along with evolution. The central concept behind intelligent design is that living things must have been designed by an intelligent being. Supporters point to the complexity of the earth and of humans as proof that the world could not have simply evolved by chance over time. For example, how could an eye evolve over time? An eye has to be created all at once with all its parts, they say, or it won’t work.

In the United States, public schools are not allowed to promote religion. But some say that intelligent design is not a religious belief and that it does not break this rule. They point out that, while creationism is a religious belief about a specific God, intelligent design doesn’t name the designer or even use the word “God.”

Most scientists, though, are against teaching intelligent design in a science classroom. They say intelligent design is not science. It doesn’t explain how living things came about or why some are like each other. It doesn’t fit with evidence, and it doesn’t predict anything. Therefore, they say intelligent design is not a scientific perspective, but a religious one.

What do you think? Should schools teach intelligent design along with evolution?