"they're blinding you with NOT-science" -- Lewis Black (CS)

Add the evolution v. Intelligent design debate (particularly the "what should we teach in schools?" corollary) to the ever growing list of frustrating, exhausting, and impossible issues out there.

The debate itself is a tough one, of course. Science and religion are, on their own, vast topics that take years of study to even begin to understand fully -- juggling them both at the same time no doubt causes headaches. But what creates the mother of all migraines for those of us with common sense is the battle regarding teaching Intelligent Design in schools.

I'm not about to go on an attack and defense of Intelligent Design and evolution respectively. As I've said, it's certainly a long and drawn out debate that is ultimately irreconcilable thanks to the inability to prove Intelligent Design. But that of course is exactly the problem in insisting on bringing something without any scientific bearing into a scientific classroom. Science is based on evidence, building evidence, putting forward theories that make sense from that evidence, and then trying to prove said theories with more (you guessed it) evidence. Intelligent Design is, by comparison, purely conjecture. Scientific evidence has built the theory of Evolution and it has lead to many advances. It is the only explanation that belongs in a science classroom. It shouldn't take thirty-eight Nobel laureates to point this out.

Of course, all the great minds and Nobel laureates in the world will never convince those set on the idea of Intelligent Design or Creationism to change their views. These are the same factions that time and again have proven themselves adverse to common sense (and certainly ignorant of the power and brilliance of satire). And that is where this debate crosses the line into "mother of all migraines" territory. As if the argument weren't complex enough, those who are pushing for science curriculum reform are too set in their ways to give even a moment's consideration to the cold, hard reason they are up against. The result? Stalemate, anger, yelling, accusations of bias and ill will (and the occasional step backwards in districts and states that seem to have an intellectually paralyzed majority.... I'm looking at YOU Kansas). The only thing I can remotely be thankful about regarding the whole mess is that I don't have to put up with high school science classes anymore.