• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Poll Split on Guns, 'Intelligent Design'

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 February 2006, 12:00 CST

By Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World, Okla.

Feb. 15--About half of Oklahomans want "intelligent design" in science classes but most aren't so keen on giving guns to principals and superintendents, according to the most recent Oklahoma Poll.

The Jan. 27-30 poll of 773 likely voters, sponsored by the Tulsa World and KOTV-Channel 6, was conducted by SoonerPoll.com. The questions had a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

Part of the poll centered on controversial education proposals before the Oklahoma Legislature.

One proposal would permit principals and superintendents to carry concealed weapons. At least three other bills would allow local school districts to adopt intelligent design theory as part of their science curricula.

Intelligent design is the term used to describe the theory that some biological structures are too complex to have occurred randomly and so must have been created by an intelligence superior to humankind's. Intelligent design is supported mostly by religious groups who object to evolution.

Virtually no research biologists consider intelligent design to be science, but many do accept it as a religious or philosophical argument.

According to the Oklahoma Poll, just under half of Oklahomans -- 48.5 percent -- support teaching intelligent design in science classes where evolution is taught. Fully one-third said they strongly support teaching intelligent design.

Thirty-five percent opposed teach intelligent design. Of those, almost five of six strongly opposed the concept.

That means almost two-thirds of the respondents had strong opinions one way or the other on the matter.

"They act as if the theory of evolution is fact, and it's not," said one of those strongly in favor of teaching intelligent design, Tulsan Marian Hope. "Why can't intelligent design be taught too?"

Marilyn Hale of Oklahoma City said: "I think it's wrong to teach in science class because I don't think it meets the requirements of science. As far as my own belief system, I think it's something I believe in."

Poll participant Charles Van Boskirk of Enid, said he strongly supports the teaching of intelligent design -- but not in science class.

"It's not a scientific question," he said. "You can teach it in religion class, but not in science."

The school gun bill, which would allow properly licensed principals and superintendents to carry weapons on school property with the consent of their school boards, was supported by only about 28 percent of voters.

Sixty-four percent opposed it.

Poll participant Bob McQuitty, a retired Northeastern State University English professor and former public school teacher, said the fact that arming school personnel has become an issue reflects changes in society.

"Schools have changed so much," he said. "It never would have occurred to us back when I started that we might need a gun.

"Personally, I wouldn't want to do it, but if the principals think it's something they need they should have that authority."

Hale said she fears introducing guns into schools will increase the risk of violence.

"They could be used wrongly," she said. "They could be stolen or go off unexpectedly. To put guns (in schools) is dangerous."

Hope, however, said administrators properly trained in the use of firearms could prevent situations like the 1999 Columbine, High School shooting spree in Littleton, Colo., that left 14 students and a teacher dead.

"I think maybe they should go through the same training course police officers do," Hope said. "We keep thinking our kids are always safe at school, but sometimes they're not."

------------

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: Tulsa World

More News in this Category