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August 5, 2017

Victoria Jordan

Dear Kansas School board:

It has been brought to my attention that you recently voted against teaching the Intelligent
Design theory alongside the Evolution theory because of a letter you received from a Mr. Bobby
Henderson who greatly opposed this idea. I would like to say that I understand that you are
trying not offend parents and other members of your community by teaching their children things
that they themselves dont believe in. I can clearly see why this would effect your choice and I
respect that. But, if this is what motivates you then why continue to teach the evolution theory,
because there are many parents who completely disagree with this form of creation. If it is
because you are of the same opinion as Mr. Henderson about evolution, that it is a logical
conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence. Then I would like to bring to your
attention that contrary to popular belief the theory of Evolution has not been proven anymore
then the theory of Intelligent Design and that it still remains to this day to be a theory not a fact.

In fact many of the worlds most highly respected scientists, quite a few of which are
atheists, have admitted that it is highly likely that the Universe was created by a creator. They say
that because there are so many deferent variables that had to have happened in order for just our
world to sustain life that it looked like some sort of creator or higher being must have had
something to do with it. To name one Stephen Hawking who said it is possible that a God like
force may have helped in the creation of the Universe. Another example would be agnostic
Robert Jastrow who upon learning the Universe had a beginning and that it didnt always just
exist, said that he was of the opinion that because there was a beginning there looked to also be a
creator. Then there is agnostic Paul Smoot who was quoted as saying that the Universe was
finely orchestrated after Stephen Hawking was explaining how absolutely precise the big
bang would had to have been in order to continue expanding and not collapse in on its-self, but
to not expand so fast that it couldnt support life. There are many others besides these ones Ive
mentioned, but for the sake of this letter I wont quote anymore.

I have written you this letter not to bash or mock Bobby Henderson or yourselves, but
simply to point out that the theory of evolution isnt any firmer than the theory of Intelligent
Design, that neither one can be proven. I also hoped to explain that there are those of us who
dont support the teaching of Evolution just as there are those who dont support the teaching of
Intelligent Design. I understand the position youve been put in and I have sympathy for your
plight. But, I strongly think that if we are going to teach creation in schools then both theories
should be taught. This is because like what Henderson said at the beginning of his letter that it is
important children be given the opportunity to learn both sides and then choose which they
believe to be the most rational belief. Another solution that you also might consider would be not
to teach children either theory because as we can see both the Intelligent Design and Evolution
theories are based more on personal beliefs then on actual fact. You might simply explain how
things work and are working right now instead of trying to explain how they may have come
about. An example of how this might be accomplished would be to focus on things like how
cells regenerate by splitting themselves or how birds are able to fly because their bones are
hollow. I feel that this option is acceptable because children are such influential beings and most
of the time they will just believe whatever their teachers tell them to believe.

Sincerely:

Victoria Jordan