NOTE: see update at end of post.

The Gradebook blog reports that when candidates for the Pinellas County school board were asked during a public forum if they thought creationism should be taught in the science classroom, one said:

“I think creationism and evolution should be taught side by side and I don’t care what classroom.” Ken Peluso went on to say that students should “know the facts” and decide for themselves.

Peluso has the biggest campaign war chest in his district race, the Gradebook reported. He was also endorsed by the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association and other groups. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has a story mentioning the creationism remark, too.

This is shaping up to be an interesting election season. Keep in mind that creationism came up in the Holmes County school board race, too.

(Picture is a screenshot of his website and links to him.)

Updated 8/8: The Tampa Bay Times reports: Pinellas School Board candidate Peluso reverses his comments about creationism.

“In hindsight, that was probably a poor choice of words in response to a question that caught me off guard,” he said Friday. “My personal beliefs have nothing to do with it.”

…

Peluso said Friday that creationism versus evolution is “probably the most controversial education issue of all time.” Despite his comments, he said that he wouldn’t teach creationism alongside evolution in a science class. He could see a place for it in a world religion class with other views, he said.