Kansas Headed Towards Another Evolution Debate

Kansas is headed toward another debate over how evolution is taught in its public schools.

State Board of Education member Ken Willard, a Hutchinson Republican, said Wednesday that he’s troubled by common science standards being drafted by Kansas and other states. Those standards describe evolution as a well-established core scientific concept.

The board is scheduled to receive an update about the work on the science standards at its meeting next week. Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker said the board could see a final draft by the end of the year.

In the past, Willard has supported science standards that have incorporated material questioning evolution. The board’s latest, evolution-friendly standards were adopted in 2007 and supplanted the standards Willard supported.

State law requires the science standards to be reviewed by 2014.