National Center for Science Education

In 1980 Stanley L. Weinberg, a veteran high-school teacher in Iowa, began to organize statewide Committees of Correspondence "committed to the defense of education in evolutionary theory," modelled upon the committees of correspondence in pre-Revolutionary America. Their purpose was to keep interested parties informed about creationist endeavours and to share ideas for responses, allowing a political response at a local level. This grew into volunteer networks in most states, with the Creation/Evolution Newsletter interconnecting them,Numbers(2006) p353 which was incorporated as the NCSE in 1983.[http://ncse.com/about/history History of NCSE], National Center for Science Education In 1987, author and lecturer Eugenie Scott became its executive director.Tom McIver in Isis, quoted in [http://www.ncse.com/evc Eugenie C. Scott's Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction], National Center for Science Education

In the 1990s, based upon its monitoring of creationist efforts, it issued warnings of high levels of official anti-evolutionism and a "sharp surge upwards" in creationist attacks on evolution, including attempts to downgrade evolution from "fact" to "theory" (see evolution as theory and fact) or present the "evidence against evolution" (see objections to evolution).Numbers(2006) p2

The organization's supporters include Bruce Alberts, former President of the National Academy of Sciences; Donald Johanson, discoverer of the "Lucy" fossil; and evolutionary biologist Francisco J. Ayala. Also the late paleontologist and writer Stephen Jay Gould was a long-time supporter. As of 2012, the group has 4500 members who are "scientists, teachers, clergy, and citizens with diverse religious and political affiliations."

Amanda L. Townley has been the organization's Executive Director since December 2023. She replaced Ann Reid, who had been appointed to the position in 2013. Previously, Eugenie C. Scott served as executive director for 27 years, 1986 to 2013.{{Cite web |last=Oh |first=Paul |date=23 October 2023 |title=NCSE names Amanda L. Townley next executive director |url=https://ncse.ngo/ncse-names-amanda-l-townley-next-executive-director |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120204624/https://ncse.ngo/ncse-names-amanda-l-townley-next-executive-director |archive-date=20 November 2023 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=National Center for National Education}}{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/news/2013/11/ncses-new-executive-director-0015185 | title=NCSE's new executive director | publisher=National Center for Science Education |year= 2013 | access-date =2013-12-23}}

The NCSE maintains up-to-date listings of current events and information regarding creationist and antievolution advocacy, as well as about evolution education.{{cite book|title=Evolution and Creationism|author-first1=Christian C.|author-last1=Young|author-first2=Mark A.|author-last2=Largent|publisher=Greenwood Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-313-33953-0|page=292|section=Resources}} Historian of science Michael Shermer describes its website as being one of "the two best resources on the Internet on the evolution/creation topic" (the other being TalkOrigins Archive).Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown, Michael Shermer, 2004 The NCSE also opposes intelligent design and other "alternatives" to evolution because it says they are misleading euphemisms for creationism.{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/taking-action/facing-challenges-to-evolution-education | title=Facing Challenges to Evolution Education | publisher=National Center for Science Education |year= 2008 | access-date =2008-11-04}}

NCSE "is religiously neutral, though it cooperates nationally and locally with religious organizations, as well as scientific and educational organizations like the National Academy of Sciences, the National Association of Biology Teachers, and the National Science Teachers Association." Its willingness to engage positively with, and avoid taking sides against, religiously minded supporters of evolution has been noted by historian of creationism Ronald L. Numbers and atheist author Richard Dawkins.Numbers(2006) p354The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, pp66-67

The NCSE offers a variety of lecturers, including biologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and theologians, for topics relating to evolution, science, and education.{{cite news | url=http://www.ncse.com/about/staff | title=Staff | publisher=National Center for Science Education | year=2008 | access-date=2008-11-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019165214/http://ncse.com/about/staff | archive-date=2009-10-19 | url-status=dead }} Also it hosts activities including trips and conferences.{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/ncse-events | title=NCSE Events | publisher=National Center for Science Education |year= 2008| access-date =2008-11-04}} It publishes Reports of the National Center for Science Education bimonthly, containing peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, and news.{{cite news | url=http://www.ncse.com/media/rncse | title=Reports of the National Center for Science Education | publisher=National Center for Science Education |year= 2008| access-date =2008-11-04}} From 1980 to 1997, it published the Creation/Evolution Journal, which has since been merged into Reports of the National Center for Science Education.{{cite web | url=https://ncse.com/media/cej | title=Creation/Evolution Journal | access-date=29 June 2017}} Additionally, it publishes books, such as a compilation of scientific analyses of creationist books.{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/store/ncse-books | title=NCSE Books | publisher=National Center for Science Education |year= 2008| access-date =2008-11-04}}

In 2003, the NCSE gained international attention with Project Steve.[http://ncse.com/taking-action/project-steve Project Steve], National Center for Science Education, Last updated October 25, 2008, retrieved November 4, 2008.

In 2005, the NCSE assisted the plaintiffs in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, the most prominent case testing the constitutionality of intelligent design in public school science classes, and put their extensive library of creationist materials at the plaintiffs' disposal. Nick Matzke, the NCSE's Public Information Project Director at the time, served as liaison to the legal team, and was responsible for uncovering the substitution of "intelligent design" for "creationism" within drafts of Of Pandas and People, which became a devastating part of the testimony of Barbara Forrest (also an NCSE Director),Deception by Design, Lenny Flank, Lenny Flank, Jr., 2007 and was cited extensively in Judge John E. Jones III's decision.Wikisource:Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, p32

In April 2008, the NCSE launched Expelled Exposed, a website critical of the alleged documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed starring Ben Stein.{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/news/2008/04/expelled-flunks-test-002310 | title=Expelled flunks the test | publisher=National Center for Science Education |date= April 15, 2008| access-date =2007-05-17}} The website received press attention and a large amount of traffic.{{cite news | url=http://ncse.com/news/2008/04/expelled-exposed-002306 | title=Expelled exposed | publisher=National Center for Science Education |date= April 18, 2008| access-date =2007-05-17}}

In 2012, the NCSE announced they would be engaged in efforts to keep climate change education, and global warming issues, safe from threats from special interests.{{cite web |url=http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/01/education-advocates-enter-the.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308234531/http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/01/education-advocates-enter-the.html |archive-date=2013-03-08 |work=ScienceInsider |title=Education Advocates Enter the Climate Tempest |first=Sara |last=Reardon |date=January 17, 2012 |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science}} They have developed a series of lessons addressing climate change misconceptions and offer teacher training through a Teacher Ambassador program. {{cite podcast |url=http://www.skepticzone.tv/ |title=The Skeptic Zone |website=www.skepticzone.tv/ |host=Richard Saunders |date=January 20, 2019 |access-date=January 29, 2019 }}

Eugenie Scott appeared on Uncommon Knowledge, as NCSE spokesperson, twice in 2001 debating intelligent design creationist William A. Dembski.{{Cite news |url=http://www.hoover.org/multimedia/uk/3004521.html |title=Darwin Under The Microscope: Questioning Darwinism |date=December 7, 2001 |access-date=2008-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610060419/http://www.hoover.org/multimedia/uk/3004521.html |archive-date=2010-06-10 |publisher=Uncommon Knowledge |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |url=http://www.hoover.org/multimedia/uk/3004591.html |title=In Whose Image? Evolution and Spirituality |date=December 7, 2001 |access-date=2008-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829132820/http://www.hoover.org/multimedia/uk/3004591.html |archive-date=2008-08-29 |publisher=Uncommon Knowledge}} Then in 2004, NCSE was represented by Scott on Penn and Teller's Showtime television show Bullshit! on the episode "Creationism".{{cite news| url=http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/previous_episodes.do?episodeid=s1/c| title=Creationism| publisher=Bullshit!| year=2004| access-date=2008-05-17| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618023601/http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/previous_episodes.do?episodeid=s1%2Fc| archive-date=2008-06-18| url-status=dead}} Scott offered scientific views about the creationist and intelligent design movements. She noted, "it would be unfair to tell students that there is a serious dispute going on among scientists whether evolution took place. There's not." She further noted that

"a lot of the time the creationists ... they'll search through scientific journals and try to pull out something they think demonstrates evolution doesn't work and there is a kind of interesting rationale behind it. Their theology is such that if one thing is wrong with the Bible you have to throw it all out so that's why Genesis has to be interpreted literally. They look at science the same way. If one little piece of the evolutionary puzzle doesn't fit the whole thing has to go." Scott then explained "that's not the way science is done."

In November 2007 Scott discussed the NCSE's exploration of intelligent design on the NOVA documentary Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial, which documented Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District.{{Cite news |url=http://ncse.com/news/2007/11/judgment-day-news-001251 |title=Judgment Day in the news |date=November 15, 2007 |access-date=2008-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427194810/http://ncse.com/news/2007/11/judgment-day-news-001251 |archive-date=2016-04-27 |publisher=National Center for Science Education}}

The Executive Director is Amanda Townley and the Deputy Director is Glenn Branch. Kenneth R. Miller is the president{{cite web |title=OUR PEOPLE |url=https://ncse.ngo/board |website=National Center for Science Education |access-date=17 January 2020}} and Lorne Trottier is the vice-president. Directors include Michael E. Mann, Naomi Oreskes, and Benjamin D. Santer.

• Anti-evolution
• Climate change denial
• Creation and evolution in public education in the United States
• Creationism
• Education in the United States
• Environmental groups and resources serving K–12 schools
• Evolution
• Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy#Background: Darwinism and Christianity
• Intelligent design
• Intelligent design movement
• National Council for Science and the Environment, an unrelated non-profit business-research alliance on environmental policy
• Teach the Controversy
• Wedge strategy

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last = Numbers|first = Ronald |author-link = Ronald Numbers|title = The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design, Expanded Edition| publisher = Harvard University Press|date=November 30, 2006|isbn = 0-674-02339-0}}

• {{official website|http://www.ncse.com/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080423052443/http://www.expelledexposed.com/ Expelled-Exposed]
• [http://ncse.com/media/cej Creation/Evolution journal online 1980–1996 (full run)]

{{Creation Science}}

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