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The teaching of such a controversial social issue as evolution in the classroom presents difficulties to instructors, both on personal and professional levels. Griffith and Brem examined fifteen Arizona biology teachers, pulling their experiences from focus groups, interviews, and surveys. The study contains a great deal of anecdotal information dealing with both internal and external influences on instructors' teaching methods. This research investigates a whole new realm of the issue as it pertains to literacy by looking directly at those who control the flow of information and those who influence it. However, the researchers make little conclusive headway, suggesting simply that instructors should be made more comfortable with the topic by having access to better information and resources. Ultimately, the personal experiences are telling of the political climate and social stressors.

Although most states include evolution as a essential part of a well-rounded education, legislative action is continually perverting science standards to a point where we must ask the question, "Do state science standards matter?" Between 2005 and 2006, 23 states have modified science curricula, which further obscures the issue. Bandoli surveyed close to 2,500 freshman college students from both Indiana and Ohio regarding their experiences in high school biology. Among the incredible statistical information assembled here, Bandoli found that over 90% of students regarded evolution as a strong scientific theory. Considering the fact that 66% of high school biology teachers either breeze over or snub the teaching of evolution, these results appear to suggest that students may actually be more open-minded and competent than their high school teachers. Not only does this raise the issue of teacher quality and objectivity, it also questions the relevance and validity of the antievolution movement.

This article gives scope to the controversy over teaching evolution, for it pertains to biology education in the United Kingdom. Reiss notes that a recent trend in science education is to teach about doing science, which helps to reinforce and illustrate its universality and practical application. He proposes furthermore that science teachers should examine the connection between science and religion with their students, as this sort of all-encompassing objectivity is in keeping with the philosophy of science. In this manner, students may be more apt to engage science without feeling threatened by it. By teaching more about the nature of science and its methods, students will also come to understand the difference between scientific knowledge and other forms of knowledge. Reiss suggestions present an interesting way of "reaching across the aisle" without compromising the integrity of either side.