A press release from the Department of Education gives a few more details about the hearing being held Monday in Orlando about the state science standards.
Monday, February 11, 2008
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Orlando Hyatt
Orlando International Airport
9000 Airport Boulevard
Orlando
Of special note is that there will be a live feed of the meeting over the Internet, and that the Board of Education members are supposed to be watching.
Any individuals wishing to address the State Board of Education regarding the proposed science standards are invited to speak at the hearing. Speakers will be allotted three minutes each. State Board of Education members will view the hearing via live Web cast or will be presented with a video recording of the entire meeting.
Apparently, there will be a link to the feed at the Florida Department of Education website that day.
Unfortunately, many people (especially teachers) will be at work during this hearing. I know I will be. So, who can take the time to attend and speak up for sound science education?
I’ll go, and if it’s not looking like there is a clear majority of pro-science speakers, I’ll have something prepared to say.
There isn’t much in the world I like less than public speaking, though, so hope we turn out en masse.
Karen,
Just look at what Dr. Broen said, as written in the previous thread. What is the “other” theory they’re talking about? There are no other scientific theories to explain the current diversity of life. There are only non-scientific, political- and/or religion-based ideas like intelligent design and creationism. Teaching these in public school science classes was completely struck down in Kitzmiller v. Dover. I would also recommend mentioning that most Christian religions have reconciled with evolution, so to portray its teaching as anti-religion is very incorrect. Finally, children need a sound science eduction if the U.S. is ever going to remain a leading scientific power in the world. Don’t be afraid – the truth is on your side, the best ally in any argument.
Karen R – wow, I sure understand the abhorrence of public speaking. I’d never, ever, ever done it until this same crap hit Kansas. Again. That Nike slogan – “just do it” – kept coming to mind. You’ll have 3 minutes, IIRC that’s about 200-250 words; your passion and sincerity will offset any lack of polish you might have.
Go for it – and good luck!
Karen – does your “Shoulders” address still work? I just tried to send something there.
I live in central Florida, but unfortunately I’ll be out of town that day. But I hope a lot of teachers will have called for a sub, and taken the day to go participate in the civic process. It’ll be quite a setback to the public understanding of science (and the image of our state) if we lose this.
Hmm, it should be working – I get all mail sent to addresses at shouldersofgiants.org . I know it’s up for renewal sometime in the very near future, but that should be automatic and not cause any problems. I’ll check on it just in case.
Let me know Karen – I’ve saved it in “Draft”.
I went ahead and added a year to the domain, just in case the renewal was quirky. I’m still getting spam pouring in to the domain, anyway…
If it still gives you hassles, send it to karenr@geologyrox.com – I’ve got a number of bad geology pun domains at my disposal =)
ok will do 🙂
sent – 10:26 am
I’m on duty that day 🙁 so, speak for me and i’ll expect a full report!
10am to 3:30 pm…
Any clue what would be a good time to be there, if say, one could only be there for an hour or so?
Glenn – Get there early if you want to speak.
J said on February 7th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
–“Teaching these in public school science classes was completely struck down in Kitzmiller v. Dover. “–
Kitzmiller v. Dover struck down nothing — it is a decision by just a single biased crackpot judge and it is binding only on the Dover Area School District. Judge Jones showed extreme prejudice against the Dover defendants by saying in a Dickinson commencement speech that his decision was based on his notion that the Founders based the establishment clause upon a belief that organized religions are not “true” religions. That statement showed that he will go out of his way to attack anything that he can possibly conceive of as being connected to organized religion. Ironically, he gave the speech while standing behind the Dickinson College seal, which was designed by USA founders Benjamin Rush and John Dickinson and which has a picture of an open bible and the college motto “religion and learning, the bulwark of liberty” in Latin. Here is what he said —
–“Ironically, but perhaps fittingly for my purposes today, we see the Founders’ ideals quite clearly, among many places, in the Establishment Clause within the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This of course was the clause that I determined the school board had violated in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case. While legal scholars will continue to debate the appropriate application of that clause to particular facts in individual cases, this much is very clear. The Founders believed that true religion was not something handed down by a church or contained in a Bible, but was to be found through free, rational inquiry. At bottom then, this core set of beliefs led the Founders, who constantly engaged and questioned things, to secure their idea of religious freedom by barring any alliance between church and state.”–
— from http://www.dickinson.edu/commencement/2006/address.html
it is a decision by just a single biased crackpot judge
and (from quote)
The Founders believed that true religion was not something handed down by a church or contained in a Bible, but was to be found through free, rational inquiry.
Yep. Sounds like a crack-pot to me.
Teaching creationism in school does violate the establishment clause. It would be forcing students to learn religious ideas, crippling their understanding of science by giving them false conclusions supported by doctored data.
Larry you said
“over defendants by saying in a Dickinson commencement speech that his decision was based on his notion that the Founders based the establishment clause upon a belief that organized religions are not “true†religions”
Yet, your quote of his speech says nothing of the sort.
I find it hard to believe that you’d call him a crackpot when he was appointed by Dubbya and was considered a conservative judge.
I get it, cause he ruled against the IDiots/YEC/Fundie crowd, he’s a liberal judge who is an activist.
Ah, it’s all so clear.
“The Founders believed that true religion was not something handed down by a church or contained in a Bible, but was to be found through free, rational inquiry”
yes, it’s finally be exposed, the Founders were deist in their beliefs. Curses! The country is headed to ruin and damnation!!