A bill has been introduced in New York that would require “all pupils in grades kindergarten through twelve in all public schools in the state [to] receive instruction in both theories of intelligent design and evolution.” Hopefully this is a reminder that creationism is not a political concern for education in just “red” states.
Additionally, Florida’s “Academic Freedom” Act has died. It would have allowed students to sue teachers who stated that evolution is a fact.
“Florida’s “Academic Freedom” Act has died. It would have allowed students to sue teachers who stated that evolution is a fact.”
Freedom through lawsuits? who exactly is free to do what here? certainly the teachers wouldn’t have been free. i guess only god-bothering tub-thumper students get to be free.
pathetic.
I am only glad to see these things keep failing, for the moment anyway.
I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say “both theories”?!
If this New York bill passes, I’m moving to Scotland.
Pro-science folks need to start pressuring their congressmen to pass legislation which prevents creationist garbage and other pseudoscientific claptrap (psychic healing, UFO abduction, communicating with the dead) from being taught in public school science classrooms as science.
Suggested titles:
Education Integrity Act Science Integrity Act Rspect for Religion Act Defense of Science Standards Act First Amendment Affirmation Act Science Patriots Act Children’s Education Defense Act
etc.
” I’m moving to Scotland”
I’m game. what’s Scotland got going for it these days?
Dudes, none of these bills will pass. Nor are they intended to. most never even get out of committee. They are just sops that are tossed to the foaming fundies to keep those votes and checks coming.
Quoting from the NY bill…
“THE COMMISSIONER, SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULA FOR SUCH COURSES…”
“THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR TRUSTEES OF EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE TRAINING AND CURRICULUM MATERIALS…”
If this bill actually passes (unlikely), then perhaps we will finally be presented with the long awaited for ID theory and curricula. Since even the DI does not pretend that these exist and no longer advocates teaching ID in public schools, maybe the bills author should give them a call.
Damn it, thats my home state!
Thats it! This is war!
Fundy nutters out of NY now!
sick ‘em stuart!
From the NY bill…
“ALL PUPILS IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE SHALL RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN BOTH THEORIES OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN AND EVOLUTION.”
Since when did they teach evolution in kindergarten? (I’m English, so maybe I’m missing something). And how the hell do you teach ID “science” to a five-year old?
This bill is just dumb.
Somebody get Paul Nelson to call them. He says there’s no theory of ID like there’s a theory of evolution.
I remember learning about the evolution of altruistic behavior in kindergarten, something about lions and mice.
Easy. You take him to any of the half-million churches in the US.
goddidit.
sick ‘em stuart!
Grrr.. Grrr… WOOF! Grrr… Grrr…
etc.
Well, in Scotland only about 10% of the first-year med students actively disbelieve in evolution, and only 37% of the curricula include evolution.
(I would like to post the source link in its entirety, but the program calls it “questionable content”. Write http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.[…]ol4/Beej-4-3 and then .htm)
Try www.tinyurl.com to cure that URL ill.
I found this interesting in that survey:
In other words, the creationists were more willing to make heavy present use of an antibiotic, even knowing that the evolution of antibiotic resistance would compromise the utility of that drug for subsequent generations.
RBH
Creationists know that the rapture is a commin’, so there won’t be any future generations to worry about.
Actually, I just want to go to Scotland for the freckled readhead women with the hot accents.
This epitomizes what I think is the scariest thing about this whole anti-intellectual back to the Bible movement. And it’s what makes this whole evo-creo discussion more than a game. The creos are convinced that all this technology and fiddling with nature that we do (antibiotics, air pollution, global warming… ) doesn’t amount to a pimple on the butt of God’s Big Plan. Don’t bother thinking about all those things; concentrate on “biblical values”. This is where the corporocratic wing of the Republican party finds the theocratic wing so very useful. Sorry to introduce a political note into this, but I’m afraid that - like the hoky-poky - that’s what it’s all about.
Scotlands great, but I’m biased because I was born and brought up here. If its freckled red headed women your after, theres quite a lot in Ireland still I believe.
But more seriously, who is putting this bill forwards and why do I find this bit a bit disturbing:
“SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL BE PROVIDED BY OR UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF REGULAR CLASSROOM TEACHERS PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH INSTRUCTION MAY BE PROVIDED BY ANY OTHER AGENCY, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE.”
Any other agency public or private? How does that work? Does that mean there will be ID outreach teachers coming into the school?
ROFLMAO!!!
In NEW YORK???? NEVER!!!! This is a joke. Give the people of New York more credit. They’ve got Shel Silver and Joe Bruno guarding the gate. This bill will never see the light of day. This guy Hooker (Daniel Hooker R-127) is on full active duty with the USMC stationed in North Carolina. According to an article in the “Saugerties Times” http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/ind[…]cleID=343253
“Hooker feels that some of his opponents in the legislature may be thankful for is his absence, at least in terms of his notorious reputation for debating issues about which he feels strongly. “I spark the conscience of my colleagues, even on my side of the aisle,” he explains. “It wouldn’t surprise me if my absence has been met with some relief by some of the members.” Hooker continues with a chuckle, “I have joked that the budget got passed on time because I wasn’t there to debate it.” Hooker relies on his strong religious faith to see him through the dark times. “My family and I are Roman Catholic, and we go to mass every week. I say the Rosary just about every day,” he explains.”
Rest easy, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.
Well. I finally get to write letters to MY congress critter. I don’t think I can muster the vitriol this deserves though, since I am registered to vote in one of the most liberal districts of NY City. I will still drop a line though, in addition to getting up a petition from people in my department.
Chris
Oh, Stuart, I like “fundy nutters.” Will use it often and credit you.
Why yes indeed! Bryan College students will come to the school and teach Bible Study ID to the students here in Rhea County, TN just like they used to.
“Oh, Stuart, I like “fundy nutters.” Will use it often and credit you.”
lol. In an open democracy forum, someone from the UK labeled them:
“god-bothering tub-thumpers”.
I actually rather like that one.
“I will still drop a line though, in addition to getting up a petition from people in my department.”
sounds like a great idea to me. kudos.
“In other words, the creationists were more willing to make heavy present use of an antibiotic, even knowing that the evolution of antibiotic resistance would compromise the utility of that drug for subsequent generations.”
well, this is at the crux of the culture wars, yes?
I keep wondering if there is some genetic component to this behavior, as suggested by the article posted a couple of months ago here.
will evolutionary theory end up being the thing that shows why fundies behave as they do? Now THAT would be some serious irony.
Here’s my experiment.
Teach Coco the “signing gorilla” that unless he worships the Great Invisible Sky Gorilla he will experience terrible unceasing pain. Give him a taste of that pain so there are no questions about what is at stake.
After he “gets with the program,” then introduce some young unprogrammed (i.e., atheist) gorillas into his cage and see what happens.
Nit-picking correction: Koko the gorilla is a she. :)
One of the beauties of the English language is the possibilities for nuance and shades of meaning that it provides. When a word with a distinct meaning, that serves a good purpose, is corrupted by slovenly popular usage–especially among people who should know better–something important is lost. It makes no difference whether we use “data” with a singular verb, although in formal writing, especially in science, “data are” is tenaciously (and pedantically) preserved. This while the same writers and speakers throw a lovely word like “acronym” in the trash can. Go figure.
Catherine writes “Oh, Stuart, I like “fundy nutters.” Will use it often and credit you.”
Oh thats OK, Catherine. No need to credit me.. besides I get enough “fan” mail from creationists in Hawaii as it is.
I forgot to come back to this thread. UFO is not an acronym because of how it’s pronounced? You expect anyone to follow that? What a lost cause.
UFO is an acronym. Leave me alone and get back to whining about the disappearance of ‘thine’ and ‘hast’.
or if you want to address a meaningful language issue, start writing letters to newscaster morons who say ‘begs the question’ when they mean ‘raises the question’. That’s a language problem with some actual substance.
Steve, in case you don’t know this and/or are not joking,
In the US we pronounce “UFO” as an acronym, “yu-eff-oh”. In England, it is pronounced as a word, “yu-foh.” Sort of like the difference between UGA the school and Uga the mascot.
ufo is also pronounced as a word within the word mufon. And it’s in Acronym Finder. Why did I think I was joking? I was just responding to Jim Wynne’s tedious claim that ufo is not an acronym.
That should be “Why did you think I was joking?”
This really is the first time I heard the word “initialism” - whaddayaknow, you can learn new stuff on Panda’s Thumb. So, is
I find Nit-picking In regard To Initials’ Application to Lexicon Innovation Supremely Mind-numbing
an acronym? ;-)
Appeal to (questionable) authority noted.
So maybe it was brillig.
lol. very witty, andrea.
and, er, no. because you initialized two-word constructions instead of single word phrases.
initializing mind-numbing as “M” is ok, but not initializing I find as “I”.
:p
this is getting pythonesque…
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