Critics of the Bush administration often claim that the president is undermining science education by promoting the teaching of creationism. The "teach the controversy" mantra is attributed to the president as being a reflection of administration policy. Critics of the admintration's science policy should temper their critiques with the actual facts. On November 15 speaking at an American Association for the Advancement of Science Leadership Seminar Presidential science advisor and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Dr. John Marburger was recently quoted as saying,

"No one is putting pressure on me or suggesting that creationism should be a part of science education—that's ridiculous," he said. "I've never heard this discussed in any—in any-of the meetings or forums or private discussions...that I've ever had with anybody in the White House [or federal agencies]." American Association for the Advancement of Science News Archives

The Bush administration may be guilty of some politcal pandering to the religous right but the fact is there is no absolutely no evidence that this posturing on creationism and intelligent design reflects actual policy. To the contrary, the administration, through officials like Marburger, have expressed complete support for the scientific consensus on evolution.