Report:

The nation’s leading science organization is taking a firm stance against creationism as a legitimate alternative to evolution, according to a report released Friday by the National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine.

The report, significantly larger than its predecessors in 1999 and 1984, was headed by UCI evolutionary biologist and former Dominican priest Francisco Ayala. Former UCI Chancellor Ralph Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting evolution, opponents have repeatedly tried to introduce nonscientific views into public school science classes through the teaching of various forms of creationism or intelligent design,” according to the report. “[The report’s authors] strongly maintain that only scientifically based explanations and evidence for the diversity of life should be included in public school science courses.”

Cicerone said the report’s key point is that religion and science can coexist, just not in scientific discussions.

Costa Mesa Councilwoman and former Newport-Mesa school board member Wendy Leece said that discussing intelligent design as an alternative to evolution does not mix religion with science.

“Faith is already in the classroom. It’s a faith in scientists. It’s in the book. Evolution is a belief system,” Leece said. “You have to have a leap of faith when you go to your biology class, and you read your biology book that says this is true.”

Creationism and intelligent design are not the same, Leece said. Intelligent design is simply accepting that science does not have all the answers, she said.

Cicerone disagreed.

“To me, they seem like part of the same story,” he said.

“There’s so little time for science and math in the classroom already, to contaminate it with a religious fervor is inappropriate,” said Gilbert Omenn, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan and former president of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science.

“We are totally opposed to teaching creationism in the science classroom,” he added. “It’s not so much to fight with other people’s views as to say how important it is to understand the scientific method.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.