Americans are divided over whether humans and other living things evolved over time or have existed in their present form since the beginning of time, according to a new poll.
People on both sides of that argument think students should hear about various theories, however.###
Nearly two-thirds of those in a Pew Research Center poll, 64 percent, say they believe "creationism" should be taught alongside "evolution" — a finding likely to spark more controversy about what is taught in the schools.
That controversy could be related to the difficulty of measuring public sentiment about teaching evolution, creationism or the more recent concept of "intelligent design," a Pew official said.
"We acknowledge there may be some confusion about the meaning of these terms," said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. But Lugo said the findings suggest widespread support for teaching students different ideas about how life began.
"What this basically tells us is that in contentious issues, many people take the default position — teach both sides and let people make up their own minds," Lugo said.
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