New Mexico Coalition for Excellence in Science and Math Education

The Coalition for Excellence in Science and Math Education (CESE) has been directly involved in the promotion of the teaching of the Theory of Evolution since 1997. CESE encourages and supports all efforts to promote sound science teaching and curriculum in American Public schools while opposing any attempt to undermine that purpose.

CESE recognizes that the United States of America is severely underperforming compared with the rest of the industrialized nations of the world in science, math and engineering education and literacy. The scientific literacy of the general American population is being further eroded by the attempts of a small, but highly motivated and relatively well financed group of mostly religiously driven people. These people denounce the Theory of Evolution and would substitute a non-scientific, supernatural explanation of the origins of life forms on earth. This explanation is called creationism. Other forms of creationism include creation science or a recent variant called intelligent design that is intended to bypass the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. All forms of creationism are an attempt to redefine or eliminate evolution, which is one of the central theories of all science. Such attacks on scientific theory impact all major fields of science, including biology, physics, geology, astrophysics, chemistry, etc.

The creationist goal is to allow supernatural explanations into science in order to change the very basis of science. Science deals with natural explanations for natural phenomena. Creationism or intelligent design, if allowed, would change this to promote supernatural explanations for natural phenomena — a contradiction in terms with regard to science. Intelligent design is also sterile as far as science is concerned. To be considered as real science, it must be able to explain and predict natural phenomena. Intelligent design proponents simply say that life is too complex to have arisen naturally. Therefore, an intelligent being (God) must have directly intervened whenever it chose to cause the diversity of the species. This explains everything and it explains nothing; it is not science.

The creationist groups attempt to masquerade their ideas as science simply by calling the concept "intelligent design theory". No testable hypotheses or any form of scientific research has been presented to support their attempts to insert religion into science. Furthermore, it is suspected that the aim of these religiously motivated people is to redefine the meaning of science; if they were successful, science would become useless as a method for learning about the natural world. CESE decries the very usage of science terminology where there is no sound use of science. CESE also decries any political attempt to discredit the Theory of Evolution. Creationists present false statements concerning the validity of observed evidence for evolution such as: "there is no fossil evidence for evolution," "it is impossible to obtain higher complexity systems from lower complexity systems," etc. They call into question the motives and beliefs of scientists with claims such as, "if you believe in evolution, you are an atheist," etc. They have even invented an imaginary scientific "controversy" to argue their agenda.

The Coalition for Excellence in Science and Math Education respectfully asks that the citizens of this country and, in particular, those public officials responsible for educational policy be aware of the fact that these creationist groups does not represent mainstream science or religion and that their actions are contrary to the facts and to the welfare of the country. We also understand that no one should be forced to believe in something that his specific religious doctrine forbids. We ask that this group not be allowed to force their religious beliefs into public education science classrooms.