We here in Florida endured a lengthy public debate concerning the teaching of evolution in our public schools. It started with the revision process of the state science standards and then rolled right into the state legislative session. Fortunately, the standards were not meddled with too much, and the bills advocating deceptively-named “academic freedom†died. Similar attempts to weaken public science education have popped up elsewhere in the country, finally finding a receptive place to roost in Louisiana. That state’s legislature passed a version of the “academic freedom†bill, and that bill will soon be set before Louisiana’s governor, Bobby Jindal.
Florida Citizens for Science (FCS) joins with the Louisiana Coalition for Science (LCS) in denouncing this incredibly bad legislation. LCS points out in a letter to the governor that the bill was pushed by a creationist think tank based in Seattle, Washington called the Discovery Institute. This organization has a clear, public track record of pushing countrywide their narrow religious ideology that has no basis in science or sound educational practices. With that in mind, citizens, educators and scientists nationwide are deeply concerned about the potential domino effect started by this organization jamming its foot in the door anywhere in the country. The Discovery Institute is doing nothing more than disrupting science education in an effort to shortcut the stringent scientific process all worthwhile scientific ideas must work through. If such tactics successfully take root in Louisiana, they could then more easily spread elsewhere, including Florida.
FCS encourages Floridians to make their voices heard. LCS has asked that science and education advocates from coast to coast let Jindal know that signing this bill could have repercussions outside of his state.
Contact Jindal and let him know that the bill absolutely does not help science education in any way, but rather will cause great harm.
E-mail: http://www.gov.la.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor
Phone: 225-342-7015 or 866-366-1121 (Toll Free)
Fax: 225-342-7099
Thanks for posting this. It’s also up at Dawkins’ site and at PZ Myers’ site too. For what it’s worth, I have it at my own humble blog. I even emailed Jindal. (Gotta do what I urge others to do.)
Done. 🙂
Done! I came right out and said that ID is theology and not science.
I e mailed Jindal. He is a nut job pure and simple!!!!
Sent. I even quoted Dinesh D’Souza’s takedown of ID.
How can you call ID theology if you don’t know anything about theology and you don’t want to know anything about theology? Seems like a lie to me.
[Please don’t troll. This notice is a service of SlimeGuard]
“Seems like a lie to me.”
Likesay, using multiple screennames and sockpuppets?
Admin: Troll Alert. Johnny’s back again.
If you want more religious fanatics burning crosses into the arms of your children, by all means, vote for this bill.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91DTSO81&show_article=1
We already have a hard enough time removing the crazys from the educational system without these sham academic freedom bills making it worse.
The Video – Louisiana Coalition for Science – does not want you to see
I watched that video. While your speaker may have some dubious knowledge about IT (actually, I found a bunch of the technical statements he said to be erroneous at best), he is completely ignorant of biology and genetics.
First, I’ll address the whole Giraffe versus Antelope canard. I recommend googling the okapi, which is a species with characteristics of both a zebra and a giraffe. Had this fellow done even basic research, he would have removed this example to prevent embarrassment to himself.
Second, the speaker does not understand mutation. Had he bothered to read a book on genetic algorithms, he’d understand the difference between random mutations in the genotype and changes in the phenotype. Ad words would be classified as a phenotype. The genotype in this context would be a program which selects ad words, such as a dictionary look-up by numeric index.
His whole argument is from personal incredulity, not from science.
So, if the Louisiana Coalition for Science doesn’t want someone to watch that video, it is only because the video is such a poorly attempted attack on evolution that it is not worthy of attention.
It may be worth a few laughs though, if one should like to laugh at ignorant consultants.
From PatrickHenry: John Derbyshire of the National Review urges Gov. Jindal to veto SB733.
From The Sensuous Curmudgeon.
Dr. Alan I. Leshner, head of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and CEO/executive publisher of Science, has written Gov. Jindal an eloquent letter urging him to Veto SB 733: