Ohio Board of Education Votes 11-4
to Delete
Creationist Lesson Plan from Model Curriculum
and
Critical Analysis Indicator from Science Standards

At the February 14, 2006 meeting of the Ohio Board of Education, the creationist lesson plan Critical Analysis of Evolution was deleted, by a vote of 11-4, from the model curriculum.

Here's how the school board members voted

The lesson plan had been linked to the following indicator in the Academic Content Standards:

Describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory. (The intent of this indicator does not mandate the teaching of intelligent design.)

The same resolution that called for the deletion of the lesson plan also called for deletion of this indicator and the same wording in Benchmark H. All are now gone.

Ohio Citizens for Science has put out this press release:

For Immediate Release

The Directors and members of Ohio Citizens for Science applaud the Ohio State Board of Education for removing the creationist material from the State Standards and Model Curriculum.

We are pleased that Members of the Board have affirmed the importance of honest science education in Ohio public schools, and we stand ready to assist the Board however we can in advancing that effort.

We are still vigilant, as are our allies. Efforts to undermine excellent science education will not stop here, and as Kansas learned to its regret, relaxation can be dangerous. We urge the Board, the Ohio Department of Education, and concerned citizens to continue to work to improve Ohio's public schools.

Here is the text of the resolution approved by the Ohio Board of Education

Resolved, that the Superintendent of Public Instruction be, and she hereby is, directed to take the following actions immediately:

1) Delete the model lesson plan, Critical Analysis of Evolution, from the state board-approved curriculum and remove its availability from print sources, technology sources, and any other Ohio Board of Education/Ohio Department of Education mechanism that makes it available for use;

2) Delete the following sentences from Grade 10 Life Science Benchmark H: "Describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory. (The intent of this benchmark does not mandate the teaching or testing of intelligent design.)", and delete Indicator 23 in its entirety, and adjust all print sources, technology sources, and any other Ohio Board of Education/Ohio Department of Education documents to reflect the removal;

3) The Achievement Committee of the State Board of Education is charged to consider whether the deleted model lesson, Benchmark H and Indicator 23 should be replaced by a different benchmark, lesson, and indicator, and if so, to present any recommendation to the entire State Board for adoption;

4) Communicate the fact of the above actions to all public school superintendents and high school principals in Ohio.

The above resolution followed a circuitous route to approval. Two board members - Colleen Grady and Martha Wise - had resolutions to present to the board during the Miscellaneous Business portion of the meeting. The resolutions were not on the agenda, but were accepted by President Sue Westendorf as emergency measures.

Westendorf called first for Colleen Grady to present her resolution, over the objections of Martha Wise. Grady's resolution called for the board to ask the state Attorney General to conduct a thorough legal analysis of the standards and the lesson plan. The resolution was seconded by Carl Wick.

Wise offered an amendment, to substitute her resolution for the one presented by Grady. After consulting with the board's parliamentarian about the admissibility of the amendment, Westendorf opened the floor to discussion of Wise's resolution (as an amendment to Grady's.) This amendment was seconded by Rob Hovis.

Wise's resolution differed from the one above. Item 3 called for the reinstatement of The Ohio Academy of Science's definition of science in the standards. Eric Okerson proposed an amendment, seconded by Sam Schloemer, to replace that with the above wording.

There were three separate votes. The Okerson amendment to Wise's resolution was approved by a vote of 14-1. Only Deborah Owens Fink voted against it. The Wise amendment to Grady's motion, as amended by Okerson, was approved 11-4. Finally, the original motion, as amended by Wise was approved, 11-4.