Intelligent design and evolution

So the debate has begun in the US over the teaching of evolution versus the teaching of alternates like intelligent design ("ID") theory. The slippery slope theorists are worried that if ID is presented as at least a viable hypothesis, then perhaps there are others as well. Where would this leave our schools and teachers ?

My perspective is that "slippery slope" concerns aside, evolution is a theory that is taught as fact and if nothing else it will be helpful in the pursuit of truth to clarify that this theory is lacking and an alternate exists. I can recall my grade 9 science class where my teacher talked about how the basic building blocks of life were created in a test tube. The impression left was that we know where we came from and how we got here. To me, in restrospect and now better educated on the facts, evolution is a theory with many weaknesses.

Science, as it peels back the layers of our physical world, continues to uncover astonishing things about how the universe is governed. Regardless of one's position on how these came to be, science can never answer the question "why" in the ultimate. Religion and science are not in opposition to each other - but each speaks to different parts of the truth. Science can examine the physical world and propose how it works and why is works, but it can never answer the question about "why" or the question about the ultimate source of matter and order in the universe.

This debate will stir up emotions, but it should shed some needed light on this issue.