Kiel science curriculum debate

KIEL - Patty Kubetz is teaching her two children math. Kubetz homeschools her children and says she gives them a well-rounded education. Her husband Randy serves on the school board and Patty says she's concerned about the education of the children in the public school system as well.

"This isn't just about teaching my children. This is about a bigger community," said Patty Kubetz.

Patty Kubetz wrote a letter to the Kiel School Board, asking them to consider adding creationism and other alternative theories on the origins of man to the high school freshman science curriculum that currently teaches just evolution.

Recently, the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the school board, threatening legal action if the board moves forward with what the Freedom From Religion Foundation calls "an unlawful attempt to inject creationism into public schools."

"This is unconstitutional to be teaching these creationism theories in the schools and the district and the school board need to know this," said Freedom From Religion Foundation attorney Patrick Elliot.

School board members and the school district administrator declined our requests for an interview, but in an email to FOX 11, the school board president said, "We receive myriad of concerns ranging from naming rights of facilities to lean manufacturing methods. In an effort to exercise responsiveness to our local taxpayers, we carefully consider concerns with due diligence."

Randy Kubetz says he's frustrated the Freedom From Religion Foundation is getting involved in what he calls a local issue.

"It has nothing to do with Madison, we don't tell them how to run their schools or their towns so they should leave other districts alone," Randy Kubetz said.

But Elliott says the issue goes far beyond one school.

"It's very unwise for schools to be teaching religion along side science classes," said Elliott.

But it's an issue Patty Kubetz is willing to fight for.

"It's indoctrination, we're teaching our kids that evolution is the only way out there and it's not that, even scientists are now arguing that," said Patty Kubetz.

Any changes made would affect only the high school freshman science curriculum and would not take effect until the 2013-14 school year.