1)     To encourage in-depth teaching of evolutionary theories that are supported by scientific evidence in our public schools, including the extensive scientific evidence in support of the theory of evolution by natural selection

2)     To educate the public on the importance of evolutionary theory as the cornerstone of biology, providing examples in specific areas, particularly those of health and economic interest.

3)     To educate the public on how science works and how it is an ongoing ever-changing process to understand the natural world. Science involves the accumulation of data (acquiring facts or evidence), the formulation of hypotheses to explain the facts, and, importantly, the application of skepticism to the methods, the data, and hypotheses.  This skepticism leads to new approaches that generate new data that can support or refute the various hypotheses.  Any hypothesis must be falsifiable using the scientific method.

4)     To clarify how Creationism and "intelligent design" are not scientific theories, but are instead religiously-motivated belief systems that extensively employ post-hoc non-scientific rationalizations. Defenders of these beliefs egregiously distort and misuse scientific evidence and do not employ an honest scientific method.

5)     To minimize any inherent conflict between religion and science: religion and science are not incompatible as long as belief is not defined to negate scientific conclusions. There are myriad personal philosophical resolutions to understanding the relationship between the natural/rational and spiritual universes.

6)     To affirm that teaching religiously-motivated philosophies (e.g., Intelligent Design) has no place in science classes of public schools. Different religious philosophies should be considered in churches and courses on religion, but courses in science should consider only true scientific controversies. It would be an educational failure to teach alchemy in a chemistry class, astrology in an astronomy class, or Intelligent Design in a biology class. Instead, students should learn about current (and sometimes lively and contentious) debates, unanswered questions, and active research topics within the field of evolutionary biology.

7)     To promote the concept that advancements in modern science have been fostered by the separation of Church and State, allowing an open search for scientific truth. Attempts to prevent or dilute the teaching of evolutionary theory in our public schools should be vigorously fought not only because of the importance of evolutionary theory to biological thought, but because of the need to maintain the principle of free and unhindered scientific education and progress. The scientific future of this country is at stake.