Florida Today makes some recommendations for the Brevard County School Board.
The four other candidates for the seat [District 4] — Richard Contreras, Karen Henderson, Dean Paterakis and Tom Wuchte — also want to boost education in Brevard, but lack expertise or promote flawed policies.
All support the teaching faith-based intelligent design as an alternative to science-based evolution. Three — Contreras, Wuchte and Paterakis — favor proposed constitutional amendments that would drain dollars from public schools already in a funding crisis and give them to private or religious ones through voucher programs.
…
He’s [Stuart Rowan, District 5] also a firm believer in the separation of church and state and rightly says it’s very inappropriate to teach religious doctrine such as creationism or intelligent design in the science classroom.
I think the real problem is that many of these school officials or candidates still do not realize that intelligent design IS faith-based. Of course, they should if they wish to lead our schools, but they don’t. Intelligent design is still a relatively new concept or buzzword. There is a continuous stream of misinformation out there that is being fed to the public by religious nutjobs on a relentless campaign. The public is extremely confused on this issue, and many believe that ID is a valid scientific theory, or they know that it isn’t and intentionally try to deceive other people. The general public is largely ignorant about science, so they can be easily misled by those who know a little – especially when they are being told what they want to hear. What is incredible about the whole issue is that school officials and those who are in a position to make curriculum decisions should be knowledgeable and educated. I am completely blown away when I hear of school board members who apparently do not even know the very basics of science, yet they are entrusted with making high-level education decisions. So, school officials who promote ID are either ignorant of science, or they are knowledgeable and are being purposefully dishonest to push their personal religious agendas. What a shame.