Marysville on edge over new biology teacher

By Theresa Goffredo

Herald Writer

MARYSVILLE — A former Skagit County biology teacher who drew

national attention for introducing to public school students a variation of creationist theory — the idea of a higher power having a hand in starting life — may teach science in the Marysville School District this fall.

But why did Marysville school officials invite this controversy into their classrooms? School officials claim they didn’t know the teacher was renowned for teaching a controversial theory of life known as intelligent design. But the teacher says they knew he was not a "low-profile person."

And this leads to another question: What kind of science will he teach?

DeHart’s teachings Roger DeHart is a former biology teacher from Skagit County who became the focus of a national debate about whether the theory of intelligent design, a variant of creationism, could be taught to his public high school biology classes. Intelligent design is the belief that life is so amazingly complex that the slow, gradual changes involved in evolution cannot be supported, and that a higher being, perhaps God, had a hand in creating life. But it differs from creationism, which is rooted in biblical literalism. Intelligent design goes counter to evolutionary theory, in which many scientists believe life is created through random mutations and outside natural forces, such as weather, and stronger creatures pass on their genes to future generations and weaker creatures die off.

Marysville School District officials say teacher Roger DeHart will more than likely teach a course in which the chances of introducing the theory of intelligent design is less likely to occur. Instead of teaching biology, which includes the origins of life, DeHart will be diverted to earth sciences, which focuses on geology.

District officials said they made their decision Thursday when they learned — they say for the first time — that DeHart’s attention-attracting background included an appearance on CNN and stories in the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.

DeHart, whose 23 years of experience teaching biology produced glowing recommendations, will be put in a job "where he can be successful," Marysville schools superintendent Linda Whitehead said.

"I don’t want to put him in a place where there is any misunderstanding of the curriculum," Whitehead said. "Therefore, there’s no temptation to teach something that’s not a part of the stated curriculum."

After learning about DeHart’s renown, Whitehead said, "I thought we had a jewel. I still choose to believe we have a diamond."

But DeHart said he never hid his past from Marysville school officials. He said he interviewed for the job after the high school vice principal — a friend — recommended him.

DeHart said he was hired by Marysville to teach physical science and biology at the high school, not earth science at the junior high level. He called the district’s decision to reassign his position "incredible."

"My 23 years of experience in biology is impeccable, and I’m denied as if I was black or gay," DeHart said when reached by phone Thursday from his Skagit County home. "This is happening because of an ideology, not because of anything else but an ideology, and the fact you can reassign someone based on an ideology. And I thought this was America."

For 10 years while a biology teacher at Burlington-Edison School District in Skagit County, DeHart used the book "Of Pandas and People" to supplement his biology curriculum. The book makes a case for intelligent design, the theory that life is so complex that a higher power had to have participated in its origins.

The American Civil Liberties Union intervened, threatening to sue Burlington-Edison School District if DeHart didn’t stop. Opponents of DeHart formed a vocal group called the Burlington-Edison Committee for Science Education and loudly accused DeHart of trying to sneak religion into a public classroom.

As a compromise, the district and DeHart agreed that he could bring up the discussion of intelligent design if he tempered it with mainstream evolutionary teachings.

Last year, Burlington school officials had to reiterate to DeHart that he needed to stick to the biology textbook. He said he did. But the district decided to reassign DeHart to earth science.

DeHart quit the Burlington district, and said Thursday there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that teaching earth science at Marysville was not the position he accepted. And, DeHart said, he made it clear to Marysville’s principal the reasons he left Burlington.

"I was up front, or otherwise I’d be put in the same situation I was before," DeHart said. "I told them exactly what I’ve done. That I’ve been on CNN and the LA Times and told them if you think I’m a low-profile person, I’m not. So they’re the ones who didn’t do their homework."

DeHart said Marysville-Pilchuck High School’s principal, Peggy Ellis, did not sit in on his job interview with the vice principal. DeHart also said Ellis didn’t ask him specific questions regarding the controversy in Skagit County.

When reached Thursday, Ellis said she recommended, based on DeHart’s "very good" application packet, that he be offered a science position. Ellis said, however, that DeHart’s teaching assignment had yet to be determined.

Ellis said she was aware of the theory of intelligent design, but not the extent to which DeHart was involved in the controversy of supplementing his biology curriculum with texts based on the theory.

"The previous district did not say a word about this to me," Ellis said.

Assistant superintendent Yvonne Ryans, who handles questions regarding curriculum, wasn’t certain whether the theory of evolution is taught as part of the biology curriculum at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

Ryans did say that the district’s policy was that teachers teach the adopted curriculum. "Deviations would not be tolerated," she said.

Whitehead said that all of DeHart’s recommendations, which are confidential but sent from his previous supervisors, were "absolutely outstanding." None, however, mentioned the controversy, Whitehead said.

"The good news is now we are very much aware of the controversy," Whitehead said.

DeHart can still accept or decline any teaching position Marysville might offer. An exasperated DeHart said Thursday that he didn’t know what he would do.

"You can reassign a teacher," DeHart said, "but not for the wrong reasons."

You can call Herald Writer Theresa Goffredo at 425-339-3097

or send e-mail to goffredo@heraldnet.com.