should creationism be taught in schools?

As a biology teacher who believes that students should be critical thinkers and lifetime learners, I would like to teach creationism and intelligent design in my biology class. Actually, I would love to teach an entire year-long class on the nature of science and creationism/ID and evolution. The problem is that the people who want me to teach creationism/ID in the public school science classroom would not like how I treated their "wedge issue".After a throrough examination of what science actually is and what it deals with, I would launch into the mountainous evidence for evolution and the total failure of creationism/ID to even remotely be considered science.I, of course, have time constraints on what material I can (unfortunate to say) "get through" in a school year. The state definitely has inadequate standards, but my students now have to pass the state biology test in order to graduate from high school. So, I have to teach at least what the state wants. I definitely add more, especially with the nature of science and evolution, but there is not enough time for everything I would want. As much as I would love to lay the smack down on creationism and ID, I just don't have the time. Surprisingly, in my five years of teaching, I have only had one student and her parents attack (and they attacked) my teaching of evolution. I think it is b/c I handle the nature of science twice in the school year--at the beginning before anything else and again right before I teach evolution.One thought--why is creationism/ID still an issue? I think that certain groups require a monster to slay in order to garner votes or to add converts. It is all political. This issue, as well as abortion, is constantly kept alive by politicians in order to polarize voters. Vote for me and I will get rid of "evilotion" or at least have "truth" taught in public school biology classes. However, they will never "win" the issue. If the issue went away, then they would not have an issue to rally the votes around! They would then have to talk about real issues and, I know I am being partisan here, our current incarnation of conservatism is careless and heartless when it comes to the real issues of helping all Americans. Not too many votes there (I hope)

Yes, I would give the evidence for both, but the beginning of the class would deal with the nature of science. Then, and only then, could I talk about why evolution is one of the most inclusive and, if I may say, eloquent examples of credible science. However, like I said in my post, any creationists or ID proponents would cry foul as I ripped apart the "evidence" for creationism or ID. Yes, students would get a "balanced" treatment of evolution and creationsism/ID, but the weight of evidence for evolution and against creationism/ID would make the class seem biased towards naturalistic processes. As it should be, since the avalanche of tested, peer reviewed and falsifiable evidence for evolution would bury any credibility seemingly held by creationism/ID. I am happy that you would want to take the class, though!