Liberal Values Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

The culture wars are heating up in the race for Governor of Michigan. Dick DeVos started campaigning based upon the economy, undoubtable hoping that Governor Granholm would take the blame and Michigan voters, accustomed to moderate Republicans in the past, would vote for a change. DeVoss initially avoided discussion of his far right views, including a history of support for organizations which support an incresed role for religion in government and for school vouchers. In an interview on education with AP, DeVos supported the teaching of creationism/intelligent design in science classes:

He says teaching intelligent design along with evolution would help students discern the facts among different theories. He’d like to see local school districts be able to teach intelligent design if they choose to, although he wouldn’t require that it be taught in science classes.

“I would like to see the ideas of intelligent design that many scientists are now suggesting is a very viable alternative theory,” DeVos told The Associated Press this week during an interview on education. “That theory and others that would be considered credible would expose our students to more ideas, not less.”

In contrast, Granholm would keep religion out of the science classes:

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm has said that Michigan schools need to teach the established theory of evolution in science classes and not include intelligent design. She says school districts can explore intelligent design in current events or comparative religions classes.

Intelligent design has recently been an issue in Michigan. Two teachers in Gulf Lake Community schools wanted to teach intelligent design as an alternative to evolution and were prevented from doing so by the school board. The school district would allow the teaching of intelligent design in an elective course on controversial issues, but not in science classes. The Thomas Moore Law Center, which represented the Dover school district which had its policy supporting teaching of intelligent design struck down, and which Dick DeVos has contributed to, is threatening to sue Gulf Lake over their policy prohibiting teaching of intelligent design in science classes.

For those of you reading this outside of Michigan, keep in mind that DeVos’s long range goal appears to be to buy the Michigan Governor’s office as a stepping stone to the White House. He even purchased the DeVosforPresident.com web address back in November 2004.