For the last several years, we have been conducting research and writing about the teaching of evolution – and the teaching of creationism – in America's public schools. From time to time, we talk to biologists, paleontologists, and other scientists, and they inevitably tell us that they simply do not understand the United States today. They do not understand why so many ordinary citizens do not accept that evolution occurred, and they are shocked that three serious candidates for the presidency stated that they did not believe in evolution.

Scientists are at a loss to understand how so many educated Americans believe that creationism should be accorded “equal time” in science education. And they cannot comprehend why evolution occupies such a marginal place in the high school biology curriculum and why it continues to be controversial today. How is it possible that we are still in a “war” over evolution?