I must say that this comes as quite a surprise. Seems the Utah Board of Education on Friday unanimously approved a position statement supporting the continued exclusive teaching of evolution in state classrooms.

Speaking to board members, 10 scientists and researchers representing disciplines including biology, chemistry, geology, paleontology and engineering tried to dismantle the contention that intelligent design is based on sound science.

Instead, many called it pseudoscience and agreed with Duane Jeffery, a Brigham Young University biology professor, who put it in the same category as astrology and pyramid power.

“By definition, science does not attempt to explain the world by invoking the supernatural,” University of Utah bioengineering professor Gregory Clark told the board.

“Intelligent design fails as science because it does exactly that - it posits that life is too complex to have arisen from natural causes, and instead requires the intervention of an intelligent designer who is beyond natural explanation. Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, and hence explains nothing.”

Bravo to the Utah Board of Education for keeping their science classes focused on real science. I have to admit that, considering the state in question, my first thought would be that ID would easily be adopted there, but apparently those folks in Utah are a heck of a lot smarter than I assumed they were.