The Scopes "Monkey" Trial

Children's Literature

This entry in the "Landmark Events in American History" World Almanac series has been so carefully written that it does a disservice to students by seeming to give equal credence to the religion-based tenets of creationism—or 'intelligent design' as it is being lately called—and the theory of evolution. The factual history of the Scopes trial is told with depth and breadth that dependably characterizes this set of 48-page reference books for elementary and middle school students. The text is well researched and detailed concerning the 1925 trial of Tennessee high school teacher John T. Scopes—who was ultimately found guilty of violating a state law banning the teaching of evolution—and the dramatic legal arguments of renowned attorneys William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. The first chapter, "A Clash of Science and Faith" tackles the arguments in the central issue. However, the language of the book curiously gives equal weight to the possible validity of each idea, and fails to emphasize enough the overwhelming scientific evidence backing evolution. A boxed passage, "Schools and Religion" is edited in such a way that the weight of the paragraph—its final sentence—seems to bolster the creationist viewpoint: "On the other side, creationists argue (and still do) that evolution is only a theory and should not be presented to students as proven fact." The peculiar evenhandedness of this book's tone reads in stark contrast to other volumes in the same series: The text of The 1963 Civil Rights March, for example, does not give equal credence to segregationist views and those of civil rights activists; the tone of that book of course assumes thatgranting civil rights to African Americans was correct and good. One wonders whether the Scopes book has been written, or edited, to sell to certain school districts where the teaching of evolution in 21st century biology classes is still controversial. 2005, World Almanac Library, Ages 8 to 14.
—J. H. Diehl