TAMPA, Florida, May 7 (IPS) - Darwinian evolution -- the 19th century geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin's acclaimed theory of natural selection of species and the origins of humanity -- is apparently still a source of controversy, most recently here in the state of Florida. Last week, the Florida Legislature ended debate on two bills that would have amended the new science curriculum recently adopted in the state's public schools describing evolution as a fundamental concept underlying all of biology.

One bill would have required that school instructors teach "scientific critical analysis" of evolution, while the other would prevent school administrators from "punishing" instructors who used "scientific information" to teach anti-evolution courses. In the end, both bills died in committee, but the controversy is certain to arise again when the legislature returns after its summer recess. "I expect we will talk about it this next session," said State Representative Alan Hays, a Republican from Umatilla, which is north of Orlando.

"There's a permanent misconception in both of these bills. Most people think that we want to have teachers stop teaching evolution and that's just not the truth. Those people think that we're trying to force in intelligent design and we're not," insisted Hays, whose full-time job is as a dentist.