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John Daley ReportingThe Utah Senate took a significant step today on a controversial bill that concerns how schools teach about the origins of man.
This morning we heard a vigorous debate about the so-called "intelligent design" or "divine design" bill. The bill cleared its first hurdle, but it was far from unanimous. Today, getting a look at democracy in action, were students from Ryan Hoglund's political science class at Rowland Hall St. Marks. They picked a good day...
Sen. Chris Buttars, (R) West Jordan: "You can talk evolution, but when you get done, you have to express that there are opposing viewpoints and there is no consensus."
Debate began on GOP Senator Chris Buttars' bill to make schools teach that evolution isn't the only scientific theory about the man's origins.
Sen. Chris Buttars, (R) West Jordan: "The scientific community does not know how life started. You've heard all the theories on that. The big bang, or we crawled out of a primeval slime, and they don't know how man becomes exists today."
The debate heated up when a democrat offers an amendment. He rattled off a list of 16 other scientific theories like relativity and plate tectronics, and asks, 'why not do the same for them?'
Sen. Scott McCoy, (D) Salt Lake City: "If we are actually going to do those things, then we should not just do it in one theory in the biology classroom, we should do it with all scientific theories in every classroom where scientific theories are being presented."
But other Senators argue they've been silent too long about secularism trumping religion.
Sen. Parley Hellewell, (R) Orem: "I think it's important that we stand up and we fight for what we believe."
The bill passed on its second reading, and the students, just like lawmakers have their own opinions.
Katrin Sharp, Rowland Hall Senior: "It really is the most widespread theory and I think that's what students need to learn."
Phillip Wetmore, Rowland Hall Junior: "They make a lot of good points. I mean, you find yourself, even someone with an opposing view, they make a valid point and they can also change your mind a little bit."
Ryan Hoglund, Political Science Teacher, Rowland Hall St. Marks: "One of the things I want them to see in the democratic process is that it's a process of compromise."
The students may also learn compromise is tough on some issues, and it was here. The final vote was 17 to 12, with all eight Democrats and four Republicans voting against it. It needs to get approved one more time by the Senate, then it will go to the House.
