Rick Perry, evolution and a decided lack of intelligent design

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:19:15 GMT

Earlier today, Rick Perry described evolution as "a theory that's out there," and assured a child that in Texas:

... we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools.

Actually, given that teaching creationism in public schools was ruled to be unconstitutional nearly 25 years ago, they don't (although not for a lack of trying), but why let facts get in the way of tossing out a little red meat to the base.

But let's look at the bright side ... whenever Perry does run his mouth about education, he deals another blow to the theory of intelligent design.

Triumph In Texas: State School Board Approves Sound-Science Materials

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:05:20 GMT

We have a victory in Texas! On Friday, the State Board of Education voted unanimously to approve sound-science materials for public school biology courses. By a 14-0 vote, the board chose to approve supplemental materials from mainstream publishers, not creationism-based recommendations from Religious Right-backed vendors. Americans United submitted written testimony urging the board to disregard entreaties from […] Read More

Education Or Indoctrination?: Texas School Board Dives Into ‘Spiritual Battle’ Over Science

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:32:26 GMT

The Texas State Board of Education is heading back into the news this week. The 15-member elected board will convene for a public hearing on Thursday to hear testimony and on Friday to debate and vote on instructional materials for public school science classes. Since Texas legislators don’t have enough funding to purchase new science textbooks, the state […] Read More

Victory In Louisiana!: Stealth-Creationism Bill Fails In Legislature

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:16:19 GMT

I have to say I like the way Louisiana is headed these days. Last night, a stealth-creationism bill died in the state legislature that would have opened the public school door to religious concepts in science classes. The measure would have weakened the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s role in approving textbooks for use statewide. It instead would have […] Read More

Local Option Error: N.J. Gov. Says School Boards Can Promote Creationism

Fri, 13 May 2011 16:36:44 GMT

If it were left up to Gov. Chris Christie, public education in New Jersey would be a free-for-all. At a town hall in Manalapan, N.J., last week, Christie said he believes public school districts should get to determine whether to teach creationism in science classes because that’s a decision that should be made “at the local level.” When asked at […] Read More

Biological Warfare: Battles Under Way In Texas And Louisiana Over Science Education

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:03:30 GMT

It looks like Texas is due for another round of fussing and fighting over creationism in public schools. The state Board of Education continues to be dominated by Religious Right zealots who refuse to accept modern science and seek to teach religiously based concepts in biology classes. (They also reject accepted history. Remember, these are the people who […] Read More

Back Zack!: Louisianians Should Support High School Senior’s Science Project

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:58:15 GMT

Every year at the Values Voter Summit in September, the Religious Right makes sure to put its young activists in the limelight. They serve as a reminder (and a warning) that the fundamentalist political agenda will be pushed for years to come. Fortunately, advocates of church-state separation have our own youth activists ready to take them on. Baton Rouge, […] Read More

Evolution: Only in America!

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:41:23 GMT

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809. Many societies and institutions annually celebrate the anniversary of his birth by hosting a Darwin Day to celebrate his theory (dare I say it) of evolution. Typically, these celebrations are held at universities, museums and schools in parts of the US where evolution is embraced and taught. While laudable, these celebrations are akin to “preaching to the choir”—everybody involved already believes in evolution!

Jory P. Weintraub education director at the Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham North Carolina also realized this and decided to organize a scientific road trip—in name of scientific outreach and promoting science literacy—to bring Darwin’s theory of evolution to places where creation is alive, well and taught in many schools! Unlike many other scientists, Weintraub understood that safely sitting behind a desk in a science-friendly environment lamenting the lack of science literacy in the US isn’t going to cut it any longer. To that end, he convinced seven intrepid PhD scientists to take Darwin’s message on the road and present workshops on evolution in a variety of creationism-friendly, rural school districts in Virginia, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska

Initially, some members of the team we worried about potential clashes between religious conservatives and themselves. Nevertheless, these team members overcame these fears and Darwin’s traveling road show became a reality. In the end, 19 schools agreed to host the scientists but negotiating the terms of the visits wasn’t always easy. For example, a Virginia High School principal sent out permission slips to parents to allow students to attend. Further, an Iowa museum director only publicized the workshop to teachers rather than the public to avoid raising the ire of its conservative Christian community. Generally speaking, the workshops appeared to be conflict free and surprisingly were well received by students and teachers who participated!

Sadly, despite incontrovertible proof that evolution is real, creationism is still taught in many schools throughout the US. Moreover, a new study found that few of the nation’s biology teachers tell students that evolution forms the foundation of modern biological sciences. In light of these findings, is it any wonder why the US may be lacking in global science competitiveness?

There is no question that Weintraub and his team ought to be lauded for their efforts “to boldly go where no scientists have gone before.” That said; if we truly want to promote science literacy and improve American science education, then more scientists ought to get out from behind their desks (and out of their laboratories) to literally take their science to the American public.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Educating!!!!!!!

David v. Goliath: Louisiana Student Girds For Battle On Behalf Of Sound Science

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:16:38 GMT

A Louisiana high school senior is on a mission to save science education in his home state. Zachary Kopplin, a senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School, wants to see the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act repealed, and he’s working with state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans) to garner support for a bill she plans to introduce in April […] Read More

‘Science Guy’ Speaks Out: Bill Nye Says Nay To Anti-Evolution Crusade, As Bills Pop Up In The States

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:20:53 GMT

With Darwin Day (Feb. 12) just around the corner, scientists, educators and citizens across the world are gearing up to celebrate the birth of Charles Darwin and his contributions to science. As Bill Nye “The Science Guy” recently put it, teachers’ reluctance to teach Darwin’s theory of evolution is “horrible.” Scientific advances that benefit everyone could be at […] Read More

Science Test: Will America Protect Our Kids’ Education From Religious Right Reactionaries?

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:05:11 GMT

If you watched President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address last week, you might have noticed an emphasis on science. The president noted that countries like China and India are racing to challenge the United States in the global economy. These nations have made changes to their educational systems, he said, noting “[T]hey started educating their […] Read More

Freshwater Fired: Ohio Teacher’s Classroom Crusade – Finally – Comes To An End

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:56:31 GMT

We’ve written several times about the antics of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who was accused of teaching creationism and promoting religion in class. It took a while, but there is good news to report: Freshwater has been fired. This has been a long-running saga. To sum up: Freshwater was a misguided […] Read More

Open thread for night owls: Noah comes to Kentucky

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:01:52 GMT

Over at Pharyngula, PZ Myers writes, Governor Beshear is willing to peddle lies for money. What does that make him?:

If any of you are writing to Governor Beshear of Kentucky about the life-sized Noah's Ark the state will be underwriting, don't wait for a reply — he's sending out a standardized form letter, which many people have been forwarding to me. Here it is, in case you haven't got one.

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about proposed "Ark Encounter" tourist attraction. I appreciate knowing your views.

Bringing new jobs to Kentucky is my top priority, and I believe this project will be beneficial to our future, providing an estimated 900 jobs and $250 million in annual revenue for the regional economy. The theme park is expected to draw 1.6 million visitors in the first year alone. I am excited to have another unique, family-friendly tourist attraction for the state.

The theme park will be funded by private developers at a cost of $150 million. The for-profit developers are seeking state tax incentives under the Kentucky Tourism Development Act - the same program used to help bring the state's first NASCAR race to the Kentucky Speedway. Any tax incentives the project may receive will come in the form of sales tax exemptions once the project is completed, and as long as it meets the guidelines under the Development Act.

The state has reviewed the project from a legal standpoint and, if the Noah's Ark application meets our laws, finds nothing unconstitutional about a for-profit company investing $150 million in Kentucky to create jobs and bring tourism to our state. The tax incentive law does not discriminate among religions and was not created specifically to benefit the theme park. The Tourism Cabinet also is in the process of reviewing the park's application for tax incentives to make sure the project can deliver on certain performance measures. This project is an investment in the future of the Commonwealth and is sure to bring people from across the country to Kentucky.

Again, thank you for sharing your views. As always, please feel free to contact me in the future whenever an issue is important to you.

Sincerely,
Steven L. Beshear

I feel like I've been slimed reading that.

First of all, it's not about jobs, and he knows it. That "900 job" estimate is, as near as anyone can tell, a fiction from a feasibility study cobbled together by one of Ken Ham's cronies, and which no one else has actually seen. The state will be coughing up more money than they're telling us, too: AiG is already asking for road expansion. What else can we expect them to ask for? ...

The whole notion of the Ark itself is ludicrous and untenable…and Beshear is simply dismissing reason and evidence to promote superstition and folly in his state. Because it will part the rubes from their cash. That's cynical and contemptible.

If the governor were sincere in his desire to invest in the future of the state, he wouldn't be supporting miseducation and lies and a low-class, rinky-tink gang of pseudoscientific poseurs and bible-thumping con artists.

All this puts me in the mood for another rendition of Monty Python's Galaxy Song, which ends:

So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth,
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth.

• • • • •

^{h/t to consistently intelligent Media Czech at Barefoot and Progressive for relentlessly covering the Ark rip-off.}

• • • • •

At Daily Kos on this date in 2006:

The Employee Free Choice Act will be one of the most important pieces of legislation to watch for when the 110th Congress convenes - important for workers, important for unions, important for the Democratic party. Workers will gain the ability to join unions - and unions bring higher wages, better pensions, health insurance. Unions will be more able to organize workers, leading to higher union density, which in turn raises the benefits of unionization still more. And strong unions help the Democratic party. In 2006,

The labor movement, despite being more divided and depleted than it has been in decades, produced record participation in the 2006 campaign, contacting 13.4 million voters in 32 battleground states and supplying 187,000 volunteers to help Democrats match the GOP's get-out-the-vote machine, which was far better financed.

Not only did organized labor put money and volunteers into Democratic campaigns, its members voted for Democrats: According to an AFL-CIO survey, 74% of union members voted Democratic.

Ark Park Update: Ky. Gov. Says State Won’t Allow Job Bias – But That’s Not Enough

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:34:22 GMT

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear at least has one thing right: taxpayers should never be required to fund discrimination. Earlier this month, Beshear outraged scientists, civil liberties activists and, indeed, lots of people who care about reasonable and responsible government, with his plan to provide tax incentives for the developers of a creationism-themed park featuring a full-size rendering of Noah’s ark. […] Read More

Victory In Louisiana!: State Ed. Board Approves Sound Biology Textbooks

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:34:15 GMT

It appears that the state of Louisiana has come finally come to its senses when it comes to science education. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted 8-2 yesterday to approve high school biology textbooks that teach sound science, despite complaints by creationists who felt the books gave too much credibility to the theory of evolution. […] Read More

Ark Park Earmark: Kentucky Governor Floats Religion-Funding Scheme

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:35:05 GMT

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear thinks it’s a good idea for his state to be the home of Noah’s Ark – one that will include dinosaurs! Beshear announced yesterday his plan to provide tax incentives to the developers of a creationism theme park that will feature a replica of the well-known biblical boat. The $150 million facility will be a […] Read More

Dover Dividends: Five Years Later, AU Challenge To ‘Intelligent Design’ Helps Education Evolve

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:19:39 GMT

On Dec. 20, 2005, a federal judge in Pennsylvania struck down an ill-conceived plan to teach “intelligent design” in the public schools of the town of Dover. Americans United and the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania joined forces to litigate that issue in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case. It was a great […] Read More

A Win In Louisiana: Textbook Council Backs Bona Fide Biology Books

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:20:09 GMT

We have some good news out of Louisiana today – news we can hardly believe. By a vote of 8-4, the state’s Textbook/Media/Library Advisory Council voted to support biology textbooks that uphold sound science and do not allow fundamentalist religious concepts to interfere. For once, Louisiana has provided a glimmer of hope that maybe it no longer wants to be […] Read More

Louisiana Alert: Family Forum Is Targeting The Science Curriculum

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:04:26 GMT

As we feared, Religious Right activists are moving to undermine Louisiana’s public school science curriculum. When Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law the “Science Education Act” in 2008, Americans United warned that it was merely another attempt for creationists to slip fundamentalist religion into biology classes. The law was pushed heavily by the Louisiana Family Forum, a Religious Right organization […] Read More

No Thanks, New Orleans: Scientists Take Conventions Outside Anti-Evolution Louisiana

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:24:39 GMT

“No thanks, New Orleans.” The Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) coined this phrase on its Web site this week, and it could quickly become the new catch phrase for scientists, educators and civil liberties groups across the country. On Monday, SICB sent a letter to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal telling him that the organization will [...]

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