More science education nonsense out of Texas

March 15, 10:29 AMScience ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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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