Creationism on rise

...I find that many of my students are biased against or profess naive or ignorant assumptions about evolution. If what buzsaw says is true, then why do most of my freshmen (I would say 2 out of every 3) have major misconceptions/outright hostility towards a robust scientific theory like evolution?In my neck of the woods, I find that the anti-intellectual "ugly-stick" is swung by several groups.1)Baptist and non-denominational churches that actually show films by creationists in Sunday school and preach against evolution and higher education in general. ("Girls belong at home and don't need an education", "Do not suppose that you can learn more than god", and "Education is unnecessary and useless if you want to get to heaven"(I actually heard these from a minister during several services I had attended for some "research" into the mindset of some of my students!).2)Other "educators" that actually make snide comments about evolution and other science topics that are out of their areas of "expertise". Not to sound too stereotypical, but most of these people are young females teaching in elementary schools. In fact, I was talking about religious matters with an elemenatry ed teacher this past weekend and was taken aback when she brought up evolution. She was trying to tell me why she believed in God and that she feared that I was going to hell b/c I had "received the word, but refused it"! While asking me for reasons why I did not believe in god, she smugly said "I bet you believe in evolution"! How that was relevant to our talk is still beyond me!?! I didn't say anything about evolution during the entire conversation.3)Parents with expertise in other areas that think their degrees in computer whatever and engineering and etc. make them experts at everything. "You are not going to teach my child about evolution are you?" "I was watching a show on TBN that said it would be impossible for life to spontaneously generate or for the human eye, blood clotting, bacterial flagella, etc. to evolve or etc..." "Isn't evolution just a theory?" Blah, blah, blah...Creationists complain that scientists act like they know everything!?!

Actually, in Maryland and most other states, taking ("sitting for") a state-wide biology test is a graduation requirement at public schools. In these states, passing the assessments in biology, along with english, algebra and world history will eventually be required for graduation from high school.The national science standards also include evolution as a key component of high school biology. I challenge you to find a science department from a mainstream, secular or non-fundamentalist mentality school that says that evolution should not be taught or will not help perspective biology, medical, veterinary, dental, etc. majors.So, evolution is a requirement of the biology curriculum put forth by the US gov't in accordance with what thousands of professionals, teachers, community leaders, and institutions. I remember from one of the creationism trials (I think it was in Judge Overton's decision in Epperson v. Arkansas) that part of the definition of science was that "science is what scientists do". Scientists discuss the finer points of evolution and debate the mechanisms involved, but nowhere is evolution as a whole disputed except outside of science by non-scientists with agendas that are not based on increasing academic freedom or the attainment of knowledge.

I think you are mistaken with your assertion that evolution is seen as a fact. Evolution is a theory. Theories are explanations of many natural phenomena (facts/observation) that are supported by hypotheses that have been tested many times. Certain aspects of what people like to call evolution are factual, such as common descent. With all of the evidence available to us now, it would be academically dishonest to deny that all living and once living organisms are related and share common ancestry. Every advance in genetic research provides further evidence for our interrelatedness to other organisms on Earth.So, my question is--do you teach evolution as a theory backed up by mountains of evidence and if you do, do you teach it in a positive or negative light?