When will I stop asking if Texas lawmakers have anything better to do with their time and taxpayers' money? When they stop wasting time and taxpayers' money.
Yes, those crazy republican Texans are at it again. So, who is it this time? Republican Wayne Christian. So now we can add him to the list of Texas lawmakers who continue to allow their religious agenda to cloud their politics alongside his fellow republicans, Leo Berman and Don McLeroy.
Wayne Christian introduced House Bill 4224 to the Texas House of Representatives on March 13, 2009. His goal is to get the "strengths and weaknesses" language reinserted into high school biology standards. This language was previously voted in back in 2003. But, in January of this year, it was changed.
Well, that displeased certain Texas lawmakers as is evidenced by the introduction of the new bill. Their goal is to force science teachers to teach the “’strengths and weaknesses’ of scientific theory.” Most people are able to see between the lines and acknowledge that this language is meant to open the door for creationism to be taught alongside evolution.
It is clear that science instructors disagree with "strengths and weaknesses" language. In a survey conducted by Texas Freedom Network (TFN) released in October, 2008, that point is made abundantly clear. The five main findings of the survey are:
- Texas Scientists Overwhelmingly Reject Intelligent Design as Valid Science
- Texas Science Faculty Insist That Neither Intelligent Design Nor Creationism Be Taught in Science Classes
- Scientists Reject Teaching the So-Called ‘Weaknesses’ of Evolution
- Texas Science Faculty Believe that Emphasizing ‘Weaknesses’ of Evolution Would Substantially Harm Students’ College Readiness and Prospects for 21st Century Jobs
- Texas Scientists Strongly Believe that Support for Evolution Is Compatible with Religious Faith
Further, according to the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), "...the president of the Science Teachers Association of Texas described (PDF, p. 17) the 'strengths and weaknesses' language as 'vague and misleading,' while also noting that it provides a pretext for the problematic insertion of religious beliefs into the science curriculum."
For more related to this story, see:
House Bill 4224
Texas House Bill to allow Creationist University to grant science degrees
Texas and science - Oil and water
Texas schools soon to have new science teaching standard
Evolution, Creationism, & Public Schools
"Weaknesses" by the back door in Texas
Comments
Fascinating - in a 'watching the train wreck' sort of way. There are, of course, limits to the scientific (or any) method - but that's not the best use of time in a science class, because the strengths/weaknesses become obvious once you actually understand the method.
Two Words: PRIVATE SCHOOL
The public school system is irretrievably broken. In my neighborhood, even in nice areas they bus kids in from terrible apartment complexes that make educating an impossible task. So, good teachers leave the schools, and we end up with a bunch of federal daycare employees who are always an inch from walking out on the job in disgust. This is why all the people living in decent areas are home schooling and putting their kids through private schools.
LOL< the nonsense that comes out of Texas never ceases to amaze me!
R
www.privacy.at.tc
It's worse..
So in response, the evolution side removed all debate, any questioning of theory. So one tenet of the scientific process was neutered so that the science could stand.
There's faith on both sides.
Science doesn't have all the answers. Science is the act of guessing, then experimenting to see if we can find an answer or part of one. Then those answers are experimented upon and the process continues.
Unfortunately, evolution isn't up to scrutiny. Public school teachers and other evolutionists everywhere maintain a fortress around their pet--"the hypothesis of evolution". No questioning allowed.
Teaching the "Strengths and weaknesses", or "critically examining" the theory, or having "academic freedom" to teach are all dishonest labels applied to agenda-driven legislation. They're like the "healthy forest" initiative for academia!
It would be fine to present the "weaknesses" of evolutionary theory, if there were ANY grounded in good science!
Of course, this means Texas should also teach the "strengths and weaknesses" of the Nazi Holocaust account, and the 9/11 Terrorist claims!
Kelley Kellett:
You are wrong in asserting that evolution has not stood up to questioning - in fact, it has been withstanding testing for the past 150 years!!!
On the contrary, it is the Design Proponents who refuse to submit their ideas to testing!!!
Blake F:
There is a significant difference between faith based on untestable assertions, and faith based on the best measurable evidence available, wouldn't you agree?
Science only deals with the measurable stuff (call it REAL), but the so called Discovery Institute has been unable (for over 18 years!) to supply any valid evidence of their claims. Whatever they're doing, it's not valid science!
Just call me "Angry in Texas" about this topic.
It's simple, when roadway engineers can call on god to come put a bridge in place there will be room in science classes for religion. Religion is NOT science and should not be in science classes ever. As long as science is required to do things that religion cannot, religion needs to be left out of science classes. period.
Apparently Texas legislators didn't pay any attention when they were in science class. It's about time to implement a "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?" before they are actually allowed to vote on anything. So far, it would appear that they would fail that test, at least with regard to some topics.
I'm not convinced that they would pass on any topic, including religious studies.
This was just released to the media: Crucial Texas Evolution/Creation Debate Impacted by “Sowing Atheism” Book
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Mar. 16, 2009 -- Solving Light Books announced today that Don McLeroy, controversial Chair of the Texas State Board of Education, has recommended “Sowing Atheism” (ISBN: 978-0-9705438-5-1) by Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr., to other board members and to the general public. McLeroy’s timely recommendation could influence the board’s final decision on the science curriculum scheduled for March 27. The Texas decision will determine what is printed in science textbooks nationwide.
McLeroy extols Johnson’s succinct demonstration that natural selection, the vaunted lynchpin of evolutionist reasoning, is not a scientific principle at all, but rather a mere figure of speech that adds nothing to our understanding of nature. McLeroy has said he plans to raise this issue in the March 26-27 meetings.
Johnson, who holds a general science degree from West Point, wrote “Sowing Atheism” in response to the propagandistic book, “Science, Evolution, and Creationism” published by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 2008. According to Johnson, McLeroy expects that “Sowing Atheism” will focus the Texas board’s attention on the “theft of true science” by the atheist-dominated NAS hierarchy.
“I’m delighted with Mr. McLeroy’s endorsement of ‘Sowing Atheism,’ and hope all the board members read it thoughtfully before they vote. Our nation cannot progress morally, spiritually, or politically so long as we permit the NAS to teach our children that they are descended by chance from worms,” Mr. Johnson said.
In his book, Johnson shows that the NAS cannot pick any one of the two million or so living species and identify the species from which it allegedly evolved, nor can the NAS produce any evidence for the alleged evolution of the sexes. Further, Johnson points out, the NAS admits it lacks a “plausible hypothesis” for the origin of life.
How, then, does the NAS sustain its “evolution is a fact” charade? Johnson answers: “The NAS resorts to intimidation and outright seductions which include repetitive false affirmations, disguised tautologies, authoritative obfuscations, and slapping ‘sciency’ lipstick on their no-evidence pig.”
“Sowing Atheism” is available on Amazon and at www.solvinglight.com where it is also available as a free pdf download.
A chapter-by-chapter summary, and Don McLeroy’s recommendation, below it, may be found at:
www.solvinglight.com/blog/2009/03/
MEDIA CONTACT:
Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr.
RBowieJ@comcast.net
Religion deal with the unmeasurable stuff, let's just call it 'fantasy'. The religious then convert their fantasies into outright lies.
The “strengths and weaknesses” language did not change in January. That was a preliminary vote only. The final vote is this month, and anything could happen.
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