Christine O’Donnell on Teaching Creationism in School
While many are focusing on other parts of Christine O’Donnell’s debate performance of last night (like her Palin-esque SCOTUS decisions non-answer), I thought I’d draw attention to a part of the debate I found newsworthy.
At about 5:05 in this clip O’Donnell is asked about her views on Evolution, and while dodging giving an answer she lets slip her thoughts on teaching Creationism in the classroom:
(This link should jump directly to the relevant section: [youtube video])
Here it is excerpted from the debate transcript:
BLITZER: Let’s give you a chance to respond to some of the things she said because in a television appearance back in 1998 on Bill Maher’s show you said evolution is a myth. Do you believe evolution is a myth?So there you have it — O’Donnell believes school districts have a constitutional right to teach Creationism as an “equal theory” to Evolution. It’s also worth noting the confusion between scientific theory and the more colloquial use of the word theory.O’DONNELL: I believe that the local — I was talking about what a local school taught and that should be taught — that should be decided on the local community. But please let me respond to what he just said.
BLITZER: We’ll let you respond but answer the question. Do you believe evolution is a myth?
O’DONNELL: Local schools should make that decision. I made that remark based on —
BLITZER: What do you believe?
O’DONNELL: What I believe is irrelevant.
BLITZER: Why is it irrelevant?
O’DONNELL: Because what I would support … BLITZER: Voters want to know.
O’DONNELL: What I will support in Washington, D.C. is the ability for the local school system to decide what is taught in their classrooms and what I was talking about on that show was a classroom that was not allowed to teach creationism as an equal theory as evolution. That is against their constitutional rights and that is an overreaching arm of the government.