My greatest fear concerning last night’s meeting in Jacksonville about the new draft of the state science standards was that the anti-science folks would beat us with numbers. Having more people there would then skew the perception of the media and the public. Fortunately, that didn’t happen! Florida Citizens for Science members who attended reported back that of all the speakers that evening, a little more than half were defending evolution. That included scientists, teachers and even some clergymen. I hope that mix of representatives left an impression.
Of all the news reports on this issue, my absolute favorite part came out of the St. Petersburg Times:
“How many of us were taught that Pluto was a planet?” said Kim Kendall, an activist from St. John’s County.
Kendall said she took exception with the statement included in the standards that evolution is “the fundamental concept underlying all of biology.” Asked after the meeting what other fundamental concepts there were, she could not say.
Coverage of the meeting can be found Fox Channel 35, First Coast News, Florida Times-Union, Miami Herald (via Associated Press), and the Herald-Tribune (also via Associated Press).
The Florida Times-Union picked up some real good quotes:
The Rev. Joseph Frazer, a retired Catholic priest living in Penney Farms, said the criticism of evolution was taking place in the wrong venue.
“This is not a debate between religion and science. It is totally within the boundaries of religion,” he said.
Wearing a teal pin with the motto “Sound Science,” Frazer proceeded to support public school students being taught evolution only.
…
Many of the speakers supporting evolution education said the theory has been tested and proved by scientists. They challenged supporters of intelligent design to produce the same scientific research backing their beliefs.
“Do the research. Gather the evidence. Convince the other scientists they are right. Then we will think about rewriting our textbooks,” said Curtis Wolf, who lives on the Westside.
Curtis is a Florida Citizens for Science board member.
S.Scott left a comment here on the blog last night that is worth highlighting:
It really did seem to go very well! What was impressive to me was the amount of Clergy that were there in support of the new standards! A couple of priests and ministers and even a Baptist Preacher! (That shocked me!) I was very pleasantly surprised! The ACLU had a representative there as well.
There were a few people there that made “Heart Felt†statements saying that they wish that God wasn’t taken out of school -I have to respect them for being honest and standing up for what they believe – and I got the feeling that those people knew that they ought not to push their religion in the public schools. But most of the people that spoke against the proposed standards were trying to “Preach†– and it was apparent.
Nice write-up. I was there too and was delighted that (according to my count) 54% of the speakers were in the evolution camp. I still can’t believe this is 2008 and we are still even discussing this issue. I have a short write up in my blog too: http://jacksonvillewatch.blogspot.com/
Thank You-All
for this very important and interesting ‘bulletin’ about
“New Teaching Standards” in ‘my home’ State of Florida.
Perhaps someday in the not too, too distant future the World will
awaken to the factual knowledge that “Religion” is a ‘Ponzi-like’ scheme
used by ‘charlatans’ to warp the minds of innocent children and naive fools
with the purpose of enslaving them for shills to ‘abet’ their rotten thieving
tricks of giving a ‘slice’ to get a ‘loaf’, or a lollipop for debauchery.
And, that, the whole criminal enterprise is rooted in a fairytale
assertion including a non-existent ‘magician’ who never lived!
Yet, the ‘liars’ claim ‘he’ lived twice!
THE UNIVERSE
Mass/energy never disappear ever were ever here! (E=m/c2
With nothing to ‘create’, a “so-called “Creator-God”
Is an impossible superfluous nonentity!
© J. H.
THE ORIGIN OF NATURE
A beginning cannot be found but keep your ear to the ground
Accept the word of a friend there is no beginning or end
Religions Theocracy is ending Democracy
Religions pollution is no solution for Darwin’s evolution
The origin of nature for instance Is ceaselessness existence
© J. H.
FOR THE NAIVE AMONG US:
Human beings are part of what is referred to as “MASS/ENERGY”
that has “ALWAYS EXISTED” in one form or another!
===============================================
In a message dated 1/5/2008 11:24:50 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
j.eisler@verizon.net writes:
“News roundup on last night’s Science Standards public hearing
Greetings friends!
I am forwarding you a “News Roundup” that has come to us from Larry
Mundinger, which I think you will find very interesting. But first, I shall
give you a brief update according to MY sources concerning the public
hearing that was held last night concerning the Florida revised Science
Education Standards coming up for a vote before the Florida Board of
Education in February.
——————————————–
Ciao, Jim H.
Congrats to FCS and Brandon in particular for getting a very positive write-up in the News-Journal today.
You know, until I read that article, I had no idea what Brandon did as a day job.