Since the beginning of this year, there were bills being considered in seven of the United States legislatures, bills that pose a distinct threat to educational standards in this country. Three are now out of consideration, but will certainly be re-submitted in order to promote the nonsense of creationism. The others, still being considered, yet to be presented, or half-passed [pun!] are as follows:
First, the State of Florida is currently considering SB 1854, an amendment that would change the law to require what is being called a
…thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution.
I’d have no problem with such an examination, I’d applaud it – if it were to be fairly done. I’m chilled by the fact that in 2009, Florida State Senator Stephen Wise, this current bill's sponsor, naively asked during a radio interview, “Why do we still have apes if we came from them?" Well, Dumbo – pardon me for insulting a Disney cartoon – any school kid should know that the well-established Theory of Evolution has never supported nor claimed such a scenario. Senator, go to Google – or any young student not already misinformed by creationist drivel – and look it up. Get smarter, please…?
This bill is now being referred to the Florida Senate Committee on Education Pre-K-12. Chillingly, we note that this same Senator Stephen Wise is the chairman of that Committee. No, don’t look at me. I only live in the state…
In Tennessee, bills HB 368 and 893 were offered up for consideration. These would require that educators
…assist teachers to find effective ways to present the science curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies.
Again, I’m in favor of such an action. These two bills list four major controversies to be examined: biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning. However, the National Center for Science Education [NCSE], which promotes teaching evolution in public schools, are warning that such legislation might
…allow teachers to bring this culture war into the classroom in a way that is going to leave students very confused about what science is and isn't.
Well, HB 368 was passed by the Tennessee House General Subcommittee on Education on March 16, and HB 893 is still being discussed.
Missouri, the proud home of the new Creation Museum of the Ozarks, is considering HB 195, which would permit teachers
…to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of the theory of biological and hypotheses of chemical evolution.
It’s only the “in an objective manner” part of that statement that worries me… This bill has not yet been referred to a committee…
In Texas, it’s no surprise at all that their state representative Bill Zedler has moved to protect citizens from exposure to reason and common sense by legally forbidding – via his bill HB 2454 – any expression of doubt or incompetence re teachers who accept “intelligent design” as a fact – despite the massive evidence for the reality of evolution. Oh, excuse me, Bill, I used those dirty words – evidence and evolution – which I’m sure offend you deeply… But Bill’s bill has now been “referred to the Texas Higher Education Committee.”
We’ll see…
In Kentucky, a proposed legislation – The Kentucky Science Education and Intellectual Freedom Act (HB 169) was offered to allow teachers to use "other instructional materials” – creationist notions – to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review scientific theories “in an objective manner." If these were to be properly – fairly – incorporated without prejudice, I’d have no problem with that bill, except that Kentucky already approves teachers reading “such passages in the Bible as are deemed necessary for instruction on the theory of creation" in their public school system. It’s not likely that such influences would be ignored in higher education.
Good news: HB 169 didn’t get past the first stage of consideration. Hallelujah.
On January 19th, the State of Oklahoma began its annual creationism legislation season by pre-filing SB 554, a bill that would have ensured that teachers could present "relevant scientific information" about "controversial topics in the sciences" including "biological origins of life and biological evolution." It also would have required the state to adopt science standards echoing those passed by in 2009 by the Texas State Board of Education. A second bill introduced in February, the Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act, resembled Louisiana's Science Education Act.
Both Oklahoma bills died in committee.
New Mexico’s HB 302, modeled on Louisiana's Science Education Act, coyly provided teachers with “the ability to disclose that there may be another way to think about this [creationism], whatever subject they are talking about." Beware smooth talk, folks. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Kent Cravens, assured us that the bill wasn't “anti-Darwinian."
Despite that assurance, it quickly died.
JREFers should keep a cautious eye on such pending legislation. The creationists are desperate, frantic, and determined to bring anti-science into our educational system. We must be just as determined to protect the future of science education.
For inspiration, take the example of 17-year-old Zach Kopplin—a Louisiana high school senior who has made it his senior class project to challenge and overturn his state's 2008 law that allows public school teachers to preach creationism in the classroom. Here's a video interview with Kopplin, together with Eugenie Scott and Barbara Forrest of the National Centre for Science Education.