So if teachers aren't required to even be talking about origins of life, why is a bill needed?

A handful of senators, including President John Valentine, R-Orem, have said the bill simply codifies what's already happening in public school classrooms.

"I don't think it does a whole lot of anything," Valentine said. "I understand the underlying philosophy of Sen. Buttars (is he does) not want to see a shift, that evolution is taught as fact" instead of theory.

But the fact that the bill requires the State Board of Education to "establish curriculum requirements" consistent with the Legislature's statement equals change, said Carol Lear, director of school law and legislation at the State Office of Education.

State Board of Education chairman Kim Burningham believes the bill actually opens the door to inappropriate classroom discussions.

"I certainly do not know all the implications of the legislation," Burningham said via e-mail. "I am troubled at the outset that it introduces the subject of the origins of life into the curriculum. As I understand, that is not in the core, and it is, in my judgment, a question which is, for many of us, based on faith. I do not believe that faith-based issues should be covered in the public curriculum."

Board member Tim Beagley believes teachers will essentially have to "read those words to the students in their classrooms, what is contained in the bill," Beagley said. "What it's going to do is confuse everybody."

Saying scientists don't agree on the theory of evolution creates a big problem: A theory means there is widespread agreement, he said.

"Quite frankly, I fear some harm to come from this," Beagley said. "When our students try to go out of state and compete, for example, for college admissions, those admissions boards (might) see they come from Utah as a state that doesn't teach proper science. . . . (They'll be) probably in there joking, 'Oh, another Utah student, I wonder what theory they're going to come tell us about.' "

The bill faces a final Senate vote, expected to largely follow the 17-12 vote tallied Friday. The House has yet to deliberate the bill.

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com