Warning Labels on Textbooks

Warning Labels on Textbooks?

Ever since Charles Darwin first proposed his Theory of Evolution in 1859, people - even other biologists- have been trying to disprove it. Today, however, the most prominent opposition to Darwin's Theory of Evolution is the supporters of the Creationist theory. I'll admit that Darwinism can be hard to swallow at times, but surely it's hard to deny if one simply looks at the immense amount of evidence in favor of Evolution: fossil records, biological diversity, and speciation. Although there has always been opposition, never has it risen to the level of absurdity as in Cobb County, Georgia. Residents of Cobb County have pushed the county school board to place warning labels on school textbooks stating that "Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origins of living things." This statement is remarkably misleading.

The problem with the statement is in the wording, because evolution, like many things, has more than one meaning and is both a theory and a fact. Of course, Darwinism is not a fact (that wouldn't make any sense). It is, however, the leading theory which explains the fact that evolution does occur. The closing sentence of the sticker is equally misleading. It tells students that "This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered." Of course, it's true. All material in school should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered. Nonetheless, in this context the statement suggests that only evolution should be questioned. That everything a student learns in school is certain except Darwinism.

The wording of the label is very delicate. The label is presented as though it is trying to open the minds of students, when in fact it is doing the exact opposite. Alan Bloom points out in his book, "The Closing of the American Mind," that one of the lowest forms of intellectual intolerance is to present competing ideas as if they have an equal standing in reality when there is no such equivalence. The labels suggest to the students of Cobb County that Evolution and Creationism are competing ideas which have an equal standing. This suggestion is ludicrous. While evolution, like all other sciences, is open to criticism, the labels undermine the significance of evolution in the scientific community.

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