| Main Finding: Almost half of Americans say they have not completely made up their minds on the issue of precisely how to deal with Evolution/Creationism in public schools. Yet, they also say the issue is important to them. |
Almost half of Americans say that they have not completely made up their minds on this issue. This is not surprising, since, as mentioned earlier, a high proportion of Americans are not that familiar with Creationism, and at the same time many are confused regarding the Theory of Evolution.
Certainty
Question: How set are your opinions on the issue of teaching either Evolution or Creationism in public schools?
Note: Identical results among parents with children in public schools.
Intensity
Although many Americans say that their minds are not completely made up, they do feel strongly about the issue. 81% of Americans, and 86% of parents with children in public schools, say this issue is important to them.
Question: How important is this issue to you, namely whether or not Creationism should be taught in schools?
| All Americans % | Parents with children in public schools % | |
| Extremely important | 40 | 41 |
| Somewhat important | 41 | 45 |
| Not that important | 17 | 14 |
| Not sure | 1 | * |
Certainty and Intensity By The Issue Groups
Interestingly, Americans who support teaching about only Creationism in the schools are the ones with the firmest and most intense opinions on this matter. Importantly, just over half of Americans who say Evolution should be taught and religious explanations for human origins should be taught about (in some form) say that they have not made up their minds completely. Hence, there is real room for movement on this issue.
Question: How set are your opinions on the issue of teaching either Evolution or Creationism in public schools?
| Americans who believe public schools should | |||
| Teach only Evolution % | Teach Evolution and about Creationism (in some form) % | Teach only Creationism % | |
| “Your mind is completely made up” | 59 | 46 | 75 |
| “It’s possible you might change your mind at some point in the future” | 37 | 53 | 24 |
| Not sure | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| (20% of total) | (63% of total) | (16% of total) |
Question: How important is this issue to you, namely whether or not Creationism should be taught in schools?
| Americans who believe public schools should | |||
| Teach only Evolution % | Teach Evolution and about Creationism (in some form) % | Teach only Creationism % | |
| Extremely important | 34 | 40 | 70 |
| Somewhat important | 34 | 47 | 25 |
| Not that important | 31 | 12 | 5 |
| Not sure | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| (20% of total) | (63% of total) | (16% of total) |