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Robert B. Eckhardt
Professor of Developmental Genetics and Evolutionary Morphology
Department of Kinesiology
College of Health and Human Development
Center for Developmental and Health Genetics And Intercollege Graduate Program in Genetics
266 Rec Hall
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802

I have visited the two web sites on Kansas Science Standards posted by the ID Net.

To begin with, I read through the "two minute skit" (a written text, really) titled "Who can answer my question?" by John Calvert. This is a shockingly immature piece of propaganda. I could say many negative things about it, but its main effect on me is to make me feel sorry for the low eve of intellectual response that can be mustered by those who favor introducing the idea of "Intelligent Design" into school curricula.

I also looked at the various press releases that referred to support by various scientists, most of whom are not named in many of the documents. Of those that are named, there is no information provided on their scientific achievements (turnabout being fair play, I have attached my own cv). These documents are repetitive and unsubstantial appeals to "fairness" coupled with suggestions that important knowledge is being suppressed by the scientific establishment. It is difficult to see how movements of this sort could be taken seriously. Unfortunately, seventy years ago the same sentiments were harbored about the Nazis, who followed a similar "big lie" strategy.

Absent from all of the documents on the relatively slick websites is any body of evidence in the form of publications describing hypotheses posed and tested. If these shallow and misleading initiatives are successful in the courts, then the citizens of the various regions will deserve the diminution in educational value that will result. But the price will be paid by their children: "Better a millstone...."