The debate over evolution has grown much larger and more complex than the Bible versus the science book. And if the subject is restored belligerently in the state of Kansas, no one will win, least of all the children. Because whatever is taught in school can quickly be undone with a few words from a conservative mom or dad.
If the new school board members don't acknowledge this when they take office, if they act on retaliation rather than facts, the future really will look bleak for the children of Kansas. Their education will be subject to a constant "us against them" fight whose outcome is entirely dependent on whoever is in power at a given time.
The issue is complex, but the solution is simple: Just listen to the conservatives. It may seem ludicrous to doubt Darwin in today's modern society, but as Kansas has shown, a growing number do.
If they're wrong, it's time for all of us to make sure we know why.
Heather B. Long '03, a Crimson editor, is a history and literature concentrator in Mather House.