As the biologist T. Ryan Gregory recently observed, "That evolution is a theory in the proper scientific sense means that there is both a fact of evolution to be explained and a well-supported mechanistic framework to account for it. To claim that evolution is 'just a theory' is to reveal both a profound ignorance of modern biological knowledge and a deep misunderstanding of the basic nature of science." Nevertheless, responding to the creationist pressure in Florida, someone—the details are still hazy—proposed a revision, just days before the state board of education was scheduled to vote on the new state science standards. The proposed changes involved inserting the phrase "the scientific theory of" before mentions of evolution. As the Orlando Sentinel reported, "By adding the word theory, which many opponents of the standards had argued for, the new version may appease those who do not view evolution as a scientific fact or those whose religious beliefs are in conflict with evolution."

Clumsy, unnecessary, and apparently opposed by a majority of the writing committee, the revisions were accepted anyway, despite a valiant effort on the part of board member Roberto Martinez, who described the revisions as "an effort by people to water down our standards." As the dust settled, though, it was increasingly clear that the revisions didn't, after all, succeed in materially compromising the scientific integrity of the standards. Evolution wasn't invidiously singled out for attention: plate tectonics, cell theory, atomic theory, electromagnetism, and the Big Bang all received the same treatment. Evolution is still described, correctly, as "the organizing principle of life science" and as "supported by multiple forms of evidence." And the standards distance themselves from the pejorative sense of "theory" that creationists from Bryan onward like to exploit: "a scientific theory is the culmination of many scientific investigations drawing together all the current evidence concerning a substantial range of phenomena; thus, a scientific theory represents the most powerful explanation scientists have to offer."

Small wonder, then, that Florida Citizens for Science rejoiced: "Florida won! Science education won! Teachers, students, Florida's future economy, etc. all won! No, it wasn't a clean victory, but it was a victory nonetheless." And small wonder, then, that Donna Callaway, the most strident voice against evolution on the board of education, lamented, "Evolution won." But the battle isn't over yet: a handful of state legislators have threatened to introduce legislation to amend the standards. In late January, the St. Petersburg Times's Ron Matus interviewed the chair of the House Schools and Learning Council, Joe Pickens (R–Palatka) about the prospect of such legislation. "Among scientists, there is virtually no debate about the fundamental soundness of Darwin's theory," Matus reported, before quoting Pickens as saying, "most of the people who are our constituents, and who vote for us, are not scientists." It's to be hoped, though, that even Floridians who aren't scientists still care about the integrity of science education enough to let their representatives know.

Update, March 3, 2008: It happened. On February 29, state senator Ronda Storms (R–Valrico) introduced a bill, SB 2692 [pdf], styled “The Academic Freedom Act.” Purporting to protect the right of teachers to “objectively present scientific information relevant to the full range of scientific views regarding biological and chemical evolution in connection with teaching any prescribed curriculum regarding chemical or biological origins” and the right of students not to be “penalized in any way because he or she subscribes to a particular position or view regarding biological or chemical evolution,” the bill would not affect the content of the standards, although it is clear that it was introduced at the behest at those who opposed their excellent treatment of evolution. A string of similar bills in Alabama—HB 391 and SB 336 in 2004; HB 352, SB 240, and HB 716 in 2005; HB 106 and SB 45 in 2006—failed. With only sixty days in the regular legislative session, perhaps the Florida legislature will be able to find something useful to do, instead of wasting its time mollifying creationists.

Glenn Branch is deputy director of the National Center for Science Education, a non-profit organization that defends the teaching of evolution in the public schools. With NCSE's executive director Eugenie C. Scott, he edited Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design is Wrong for Our Schools (Beacon Press, 2006).