Does being wrong make Kettlewell wrong for science teaching ?

Biology textbooks, almost without exception, introduce students to evolutionary theory with reference to the phenomenon of industrial melanism, long regarded as the classic example of natural selection. Its status as an icon among biology teachers and the public stands in stark contrast to ongoing debates among scientists which reveal that this phenomenon is nowhere near as well understood as textbooks would have us believe. The 'classic' account of the phenomenon of industrial melanism, associated with the work of H B D Kettlewell and recounted in texts and the popular media, is reviewed. Several major discrepancies are identified that have led some to conclude that it should be removed from textbooks altogether. It is argued that these problems actually augment the value of discussing the phenomenon of industrial melanism, and Kettlewell's work in particular, for the teaching of evolutionary biology. The 'classic account' has several advantages that make it particularly useful as an introduction to the concept of natural selection. Discussing some of the details so often omitted from texts can potentially enhance student understanding about the nature of science as a process.