The New York Times unwittingly serves the cause of science and education with its tendentious front page article today.
Start with the Mickey Mouse analogy. Mickey's change in appearance over the decades doesn't provide an example of "evolution," folks. Mickey was intelligently designed. (Walt Disney drew him.) This is an elementary mistake in logic by the teacher that the reporter--and The New York Times--not only bought, but used to highlight their story.
Then there is the ridiculous peppered moth case that is supposed to show students how evolution takes place. (Light moths that dwell on dark trees' trunks are more likely to be seen and therefore eaten, etc.) But even if the peppered moth experiments had been valid they only would show micro-evolution, not macro-evolution (new species). Hardly anyone disputes micro-evolution. Talking about it is mainly a way to confuse people about the real issues and impute to critics as criticism they don't advance. But, in any case, the peppered moth experiment results themselves were not valid. They were discredited years ago (the moths were pinned to the trees, and, furthermore, the peppered moths live in tree canopies, not on the trunks). The scientific literature has been clear on this for years. Yet, as we all fear about the schools, they continue to cite evidence that even scientists who are Darwinists no longer cite.
The students in Florida were skeptical about the teacher's "facts". Good for them. They were right, and their teacher, who may be a fine fellow in other respects, abused their trust with his heavy ideological hand. Thanks, New York Times, for showing how it is done.
