I’m hearing rummors that the state legislature is going to address evolution today. Supposedly one state senator is going to introduce a bill today that would ban evolution on the grounds that it is not provable and false.
Nothing concrete yet, and, if a bill is introduced, I’ll be here to take it apart.
Update
I finally found a news story on this. According to the report, State Representative Ben Bridges will introduce legislation that “would allow for broader approaches when schools teach the origin of life. The measure would allow theories other than evolution to be taught in science classes, as long as those other theories are – quote – ‘scientific.’”
While they’re at it, why don’t they pass a law banning imaginary numbers? They give me so much trouble, and why should we learn about them if they’re only imaginary anyway?
We have some weird state senators. A few years ago, one of them said before the senate that she was psychic and in communion with the spirit of Chandra Levy.
Do Georgia standards include OoL; our’s (MN) don’t and I think for good reason that has nothing to do with avoiding controversy. I think as interesting as the ideas are and often as illustrative of the history and nature of science several of the ideas, too much background and time is required in a general biology course taught here usually in 10th grade. Like Darwin, we decided to start in the middle (and I don’t recall that the three discoIDs on the committee ever pressed for inclusion. During hearings though on the standards a chemical engineer (UM’s Christ Makosko (sp?)) who is an IDeist, talked at length about OoL until the committee chair shut him off/down by noting quite aridly that the standards didn’t include OoL (to which the witness responded along the lines of “Well this is an example of the poverty of science.”). He had also been chosen by then Commissioner Yecke as an expert reviewer of the standards who had apparently not read them. His pitch was for “teaching the alternative,” about which he was slippery as the proverbial eel. I know you’ll keep us posted as things unfold and want you to know my appreciation. Cheers.
No the origin of life is not part of the new standards, IIRC. I have some partial text of the bill and am working up a post about it.
Well, over here in Dover, PA, the new standards said origins of life would not be taught, then the administrator comes into the classrooms to read the disclaimer (which the teachers refuse to read because they’re not morons) which talks about darwin’s theory (only a) being just one of many theories about the origin of life and, oh, my stomach hurts, I bet our junior senator is dumber than your state senator–the other day he wrote about his overwhelmingly-approved amendment, endorsed by Sen. Kennedy, etc. etc.
Tristram: I noticed the disconnect between the disclaimer read by the administrator and the standards. I guess the point is that it makes little difference to the discoID dancers. Stay on message. I may have misled you, it was the chemical engineer who went on and on and our Senator, a very good one, who cut him off after supplying him enough rope to do the deed but it didn’t stop the silliness. The “E” word, evidence, is without currency when you can make claims. Reminds me of my arguements as a kid: “Is too! Is not!” And dumbness? Hmmmm. I’d give your junior senator and our chemical engineer equal grades but this has nothing to do with thinking. It has to do with indoctrination. And my do I admire the teachers in Dover. If you know any of them please let them know my thanks and appreciation for their integrity.
There is also a Australian preaching his museum about creationism this man is a retard. I have seen him serval times on Australian T.V. when the debate ever comes up.
I logged onto most of these Websites and they are gutless they are adverts to buy their books on crap, or want money to preach there woffle. They say they have all these sciences and proof. But when it cames to hard facts they use the bible with psams this and that. Religen is Religen, the State is the State, and Science is Science. But when you have a Presedent who is a Bible basher all the little want to bees join the band wagon. Like the above Senitor. Keep the good fight mate. Ps - sorry about spelling
Update