Letter in the Ledger

Florida Citizens for Science vice president Jonathan Smith had a letter published in the Lakeland Ledger today: Sen. Wise’s “Critical Analysis” Bill Is Nothing More Than a Shell Game.

Are our politicians so naive to think that this bill, should it pass, will not be vigorously challenged and fail, just as so many others have, with great expense to the states involved. Does Gov. Crist really expect biotech companies (whose processes are based upon evolutionary concepts) to support a state whose science education is in jeopardy of being seriously compromised?

Full text of the letter after the jump.

With the sun scarcely set on Gov. Charlie Crist’s joining state and local officials for the grand opening of Scripps Florida state-of-the-art ≠biomedical research facility. Along comes Sen. Steven Wise (R-≠Jacksonville) to create a dichotomy of epic proportions.

With Crist trying to “develop Florida into a biotech hub and a global leader in medical research and development,” Sen. Wise seems just as determined to portray Florida as a haven for the scientifically challenged. Wise’s anti evolution bill (SB2396) filed on Feb. 27 which requires ‘critical analysis’ of evolution, amounts to nothing more than a rhetorical shell game appropriated from anti-evolution mantras in other states.
After Sen. Rhonda Storms ‘academic freedom’ bill died last year, Sen. Wise is merely picking up the fundamental religionist banner to rally support amongst those who desire is to force their personal theocratic ideologies into the school science system.

Their underhanded ploy is not to mention religion, just teach enough of their favored arguments against evolution as science (which they are not), then students will make the correct choice in rejecting evolution and accept Wise’s particularly narrow religious viewpoint. In fact, Sen. Wise has made clear in public statements, his desire to disingenuously slip intelligent design/creationism into our schools.

Are our politicians so naive to think that this bill, should it pass, will not be vigorously challenged and fail, just as so many others have, with great expense to the states involved. Does Gov. Crist really expect biotech companies (whose processes are based upon evolutionary concepts) to support a state whose science education is in jeopardy of being seriously compromised?

We at the Florida Citizens for Science, encourage lawmakers to discard this irresponsible and costly bill.
JONATHAN P. SMITH
Vice President
Florida Citizens for Science
Lithia