Hal, I would very much like to hear (read) your answer to the question, several posts above, about what your issue with evolution really is.
Because I must confess that I don't understand your objection to it at all. You seem to be going 'round in circles about what you think should and should not be taught in schools. You even said that schools should teach Darwin, but not evolution. Which is a little...contradictory. At least, IMVHO.
So maybe you can shed some light on what exactly the problem is (in your view) with the teaching of evolution in a Science class.
I would refer you way back to my first post in this thread, but that was a long time ago.
The way evolution was taught to me, and the way I understand it is taught outside of places like Texas... is that it is the only explanation for where all life came from. That this is scientific fact, and any theories that differ, are just wrong.
The mechanisms that Darwin observed, that we see happening all around us, Natural selection that is, is absolutely amazing. I would never disagree that this is fundamental to all biological sciences. I, myself, have become increasingly interested in it throughout my life. I absolutely think this should be taught in High School.
However, extrapolating what we observe now, backwards in time, to theorize about common ancestry, does not follow from what we observe today. Yes, absolutely, some very closely related species have common ancestors. Perhaps many species have common ancestors. However, the further back in time you go, the more this becomes guesswork, and the less it becomes science. Yes, you can study the fossil record scientifically, and the conclusions reached about said fossils are scientific.
However, it is my contention, that expanding those conclusions to speculate on common ancestors of modern life is at best guesswork, and at worst scientists out to make a name for themselves by plugging in one more hole in a tree of life with far too many holes.
I don't mind teachers saying that many animals today share common ancestors, that much is obvious. I do mind them saying everything shares ONE common ancestor. Is that possible? Certainly. Is it the best guess scientists have about how things happend, Sure. Is it Fact? There's no way to know given our current level of knowledge.
That's what I would like to hear said. Because as soon as it is stated to be a fact, it's claiming that people who believe their religion says otherwise are wrong. I could say, I think God created a large number of animals a long time ago, and since that time, the animal kingdom has diversified much further. There is nothing in the fossil record to contradict this. There are no observations we can make that say this is wrong. But by claiming that the idea we all share one common ancestor is fact, you're saying my statement is impossible.
Is saying God created life scientific? No. Does that make it wrong? No. I'd just like science teachers not to be saying the opposite.