Laboring for Science, Laboring for Souls: Obstacles and Approaches to Teaching and Learning Evolution in the Southeastern United States

Evolution is a topic that stirs up a great deal of emotion in the public arena in the United States. The Southeastern region represents a pocket within the country where a perceived tension between religious worldviews and science is highly visible and contentious. One area where we see this manifest is in teaching and learning evolution across academic levels. Evolution in many cases is seen as taboo and a topic not to be broached. Pre-service and in-service teachers represent a front line of sorts when it comes to navigating scientific worldviews and connecting the public with science. Lived experiences and research into the acceptance of evolution among these teacher groups provides a framework to understanding the true complexity of the conversation