Public opinion remains firmly divided over the Florida Department of Education's plan to add "evolution" as a "big idea" in the state's science curriculum. Some of the more than 3,000 citizens who have weighed in on the DOE's Web site have voiced concerns regarding the new policy, with complaints that include outright rejections of evolution and indignation over presenting only a single theory to students. Many citizens support the change, however, which they feel will bring respectability to an ailing public education system. The National Center for Science Education, which gave the state an F in last year's curriculum reviews, says the state's new policy makes it a candidate for an A rating this year. Public comments will continue to be accepted on the DOE's Web site until Friday, when the writing committee will begin to review the policy in light of public opinion. —Stephen Mapes