Anglican schools are far from sold on Intelligent Design, writes JOSEPH SMITH.

The decision to teach the theory of intelligent design to students attending Sydney Anglican schools is being left to individual school principals and heads of science and religious studies departments.

CEO of the Sydney Anglicans Schools Corporation Dr Laurie Scandrett said each school could independently choose whether or not to use the Campus Crusade for Christ "Unlocking the Mystery of Life' DVD, a resource that has been widely promoted to Christian schools to teach intelligent design.

Dr Scandrett said SASC has no official policy on schools choosing to teach Intelligent Design as part of the curriculum.

Indeed, there is no uniformity amongst SASC schools or Sydney's Anglican schools generally in deciding to use the DVD resource.

Headmaster of Penrith Anglican College, Barry Roots said the DVD would not be used in his school as part of the science curriculum.

"I gave it to my senior chaplain to see if it has value as part of the Divinity program but not to my head of Science," Mr Roots said. "When you go into a science lab you should leave your faith position at the door. A lab is a place for science and hypothesis " proving something to be true based on an experiment. Your faith position should be irrelevant to that exercise," Mr Roots said.

Phillip Heath, principal of St Andrew's Cathedral School said intelligent design was not a relevant issue to his students.

"[They] aren't talking about it. The question of God and science is not a powerful argument that clinches kids towards Christianity. We're not opposed to it but we're unlikely to use it," Mr Heath said.

However, the head of science at Macarthur Anglican School, Paul Looyen said he would be happy to use the DVD resource when dealing with evolution.

"As a science department we are supportive of the intelligent design concept. Science is currently defined by a number of secular views which are very limiting," My Looyen said.

Headmaster of The King's School, Dr Tim Hawkes has been a vocal supporter of intelligent design. His views were quoted heavily in the secular press late last year.

"It would be delightful if Intelligent Design were successful in stimulating intelligent discussion. More frequently, it seems to excite an alarming prejudice rather than honest enquiry," Dr Hawkes said. "Schools can help remedy the situation by allowing informed and sensible discussion on the topic, he said.

Campus Crusade Australia's National Director, Bill Hodgson defended accusations that the DVD is simply a "religous alternative' to the evolutionary theory.

"Opponents may argue the merits of its scientific basis but to label it religious is misrepresentation. Certainly it raises some questions with religious implications, but they are not in themselves religious questions," he said.

NSW Board of Studies spokesperson Rebecca Lloyd said intelligent design is not part of any Board of Studies syllabus in the science curriculum "because it is not scientific and not evidence based'.

Other schools contacted by Southern Cross including the Cranbrook School, Thomas Hassall Anglican College and SCEGCS Darlinghurst indicated they would only be likely to teach intelligent design in the context of religious studies classes.