Majority of Britons say creationism SHOULD be taught in schools



More than half the population believes children should be told about creationism - the belief that God created the world - in school science lessons, a poll reveals today.

Some 54 per cent of Britons want biology teachers to discuss 'alternative perspectives' on human origins alongside traditional explanations of evolution.

They also want children to be told about intelligent design, the idea that aspects of the universe are too complex to be explained by science and natural selection. Critics say this is just creationism under another name.



The Creation of Adam: Around 21 per cent of Britons said just evolutionary theory should be taught in science lessons

The findings, in a survey commissioned by the British Council, come amid growing pressure from religious groups for schools to teach creationism.

Last year, leading science educationalist Michael Reiss lost his job as director of education at the Royal Society - Britain's science academy - in a backlash from members after he said science teachers should address creationism in the classroom.

The Mori poll, which questioned nearly 1,000 Britons as part of a worldwide study of 10,000 people, was published by the British Council as as part of its Darwin Now programme, marking 150 years since the publication of Charles Darwin's work On The Origin of Species.

Members of the public in Argentina, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain and the United States were also questioned.



Some 21 per cent of Britons said only evolutionary theory should be taught, while 54 per cent said children should hear rival explanations.



Britain's support for teaching other theories alongside evolution was higher than in any of the other countries apart from Argentina and Mexico - but had the lowest proportion - at six per cent - believing that other theories should be taught in preference to evolution.

National curriculum guidelines say creationism has no place in science lessons.



Worldwide, the survey reveals just over four in 10 (43 per cent) of people believe that evolution should be taught alongside other theories in science lessons, while a fifth (20 per cent) said only evolution should be taught.



In the US, almost a quarter of those questioned (23 per cent) said either other theories but not evolution should be taught, or that no theories should be taught.

This figure was 28 per cent in China and 21 per cent in South Africa.

Lewis Wolpert, emeritus professor of biology at University College London and vice-president of the British Humanist Association, told The Guardian: 'I am appalled.

'It shows how ignorant the public is. Intelligent design and creationism have no connection with science and are purely religious concepts. There is no evidence for them at all. They must be kept out of science lessons.'

Steve Jones, professor of genetics at UCL, said: 'This shows the danger of religions being allowed to buy schools, hijack lessons and pretend that they have anything useful to say about science - which, by definition, they do not.

'The figure seems much too high, although no doubt there is a substantial minority that does think this.'