Florida: Evolution Bill Lets Teachers Contradict Theory
jspa...@linuxquestions.net
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By Keith Morelli of The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 3, 2008
TAMPA - Florida Sen. Ronda Storms, a Republican from Valrico, is
taking on the theory of evolution.
On Friday she introduced an "Academic Freedom Act" bill designed to
tweak the state's recently adopted educational standard that calls for
science teachers to teach evolution.
Storms said the new bill merely says teachers should have the freedom
to teach what they want, including theories that may contradict the
prevalent theories of biological and chemical evolution. The bill does
not mention creationism or intelligent design.
The basis of her bill came from activists who failed in February to
persuade the state Board of Education to allow the leeway. The board
voted 4-3 two weeks ago to explicitly require the teaching of
evolution.
Storms' bill states that any curriculum presented to Florida's public
school students about the origins of life must not be used to promote
religious doctrine, even though evolution proponents derided previous
similar proposals as religious indoctrination in the guise of
scientific inquiry.
The bill, in part, says that if teachers wish to present a teaching
plan that doesn't conform to state standards regarding chemical and
biological evolution, they could be sanctioned and that the
Legislature should adopt measures to protect them.
The bill says that "in many instances educators have experienced or
feared discipline, discrimination, or other adverse consequences as a
result of presenting the full range of scientific views regarding
chemical and biological evolution.
"Every public school teacher in the state's K-12 school system shall
have the affirmative right and freedom to objectively present
scientific information relevant to the full range of scientific views
regarding biological and chemical evolution in connection with
teaching any prescribed curriculum regarding chemical or biological
origins," Storms' bill states.
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Read it at http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/03/storms-evolution-bill-lets-teachers-contradict-the/
J. Spaceman
jspa...@linuxquestions.net
Legislature?" at http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2008/03/will-we-be-hear.html
From the article:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well the decision is over, but the strong feelings are not. And, now
perhaps, the debate about evolution will rise again during the coming
legislative session.
Short recap: By a 4-3 vote,The State Board of Education approved new
science standards last month that were controversial because they
require teaching evolution. As a compromise of sorts -- it didn't
really appease opponents and angered the standards' backers -- the
board inserted the phrase "scientific theory of" before the word
evolution.
After the vote, John Stemberger, the head of the Florida Family Policy
Council ,said social conservatives would push for an "academic
freedom" measure when the Legislature convenes this month. Such a
proposal would protect teachers who teach alternatives to evolution.
House Speaker Marco Rubio -- who wanted evolution taught as a theory
-- told the Florida Baptist Witness such a plan might gain traction in
the house.
And Friday, State Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, filed just such a bill
that would create an "Academic Freedom Act" and protect the right of
teachers to "objectively present scientific information relevant to
the full range of scientific views regarding chemical and biological
evolution."
The bill is much like the sample one posted on the website of the
Discovery Institute, which advocates for Intelligent Design. And it is
controversial because many scientists (and their backers) say there
are no other "scientific views" about evolution, only religion-in-
disguise beliefs.
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J. Spaceman
jspa...@linuxquestions.net
http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2008/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/s2692.pdf
J. Spaceman
Geoff
> From the article:
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> By Keith Morelli of The Tampa Tribune
>
> Published: March 3, 2008
>
> TAMPA - Florida Sen. Ronda Storms, a Republican from Valrico, is
> taking on the theory of evolution.
Nice try, Don Quixote. Keep that lance poised.
AC
I'm thinking we should be encouraging some Holocaust Deniers to take
advantage of this wonderful new "Academic Freedom" bill.
--
Aaron Clausen mightym...@gmail.com
fnor
JohnN
> From the article:
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> By Keith Morelli of The Tampa Tribune
>
> Published: March 3, 2008
>
> TAMPA - Florida Sen. Ronda Storms, a Republican from Valrico, is
> taking on the theory of evolution.
>
> On Friday she introduced an "Academic Freedom Act" bill designed to
> tweak the state's recently adopted educational standard that calls for
> science teachers to teach evolution.
>
> Storms said the new bill merely says teachers should have the freedom
> to teach what they want, including theories that may contradict the
> prevalent theories of biological and chemical evolution. The bill does
> not mention creationism or intelligent design.
I wonder how Sen Storms voted on the 2006 education bill: "signed into
law by Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida has declared that "American history
shall be viewed as factual, not as constructed." That factual history,
the law states, shall be viewed as "knowable, teachable, and
testable."
"In other words, Florida has officially replaced the study of history
with the imposition of dogma and effectively outlawed critical
thinking."
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0717-22.htm
JohnN
Rusty Sites
And moon landing hoaxers as well.
Rusty Sites
>
> Storms said the new bill merely says teachers should have the freedom
> to teach what they want
This should make it much easier and cheaper to get teachers. They don't
have to actually know anything. No education is required, just teach
what you want.
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank
> Also see "Will the battle on science and evolution move to the Florida
>
> From the article:
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> J. Spaceman
Sounds like a rehash of Peloza v New Capistrano, Seagraves v
California, Mclean v Arkansas, and Edwards v Aguillard.
The fundies look like they have run out of options, and are now
reduced to just repeating the same things over and over and over (and
losing every time).
================================================
Lenny Flank
"There are no loose threads in the web of life"
Editor, Red and Black Publishers
http://www.RedAndBlackPublishers.com
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank
Oh goodie --- maybe I'll get to see a court case after all.
I *love* the smell of idiot fundies frying themselves in court. :)
snex
it never seems to occur to flank that it is these elected goons that
are the very people appointing the judges who will hear these cases.
keep doing things his way, and eventually theyre going to score a win.
but the other option is simply unthinkable, we simply cant allow those
nasty atheists to strongly express their opinions that people start
behaving like adults!
er...@swva.net
I'd agree with that law, provided it admits that ID and creationism do
_not_ count as legitimate scientific views protected under the law,
and that, in fact, not only will teachers be fired who pretend that
creationism and ID are scientific, but that school districts and
teacher's unions will will be co-plaintiffs against them.
Eric Root
er...@swva.net
What better way do _you_ have of doing it? You have some way of
preventing the right-wingers from appointing judges, other than by
voting against them, which is what the sensible people are doing?
Eric Root
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank
I think not.
Their record so far is absolutely perfect -- they have lost every
single court case they have ever been involved with. They have made
every argument it's possible for them to make --- and lost all of
them.
And who was it that appointed Judge Jones, again . . . . ?
> but the other option is simply unthinkable, we simply cant allow those
> nasty atheists to strongly express their opinions that people start
> behaving like adults!
What the fuck are you gibbering about . . . . .?
Your martyr complex puts that of the fundies to shame.
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank
Indeed, the right-wingers are already dead in the next election -- no
candidate from either party supports the fundies.
And snex's obnoxious atheists didn't have a damn thing to do with it.
Mike Dworetsky
news:9a27e9f7-3ba3-4c7b...@i7g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
1. Only the lawyers will get rich from this. (Or not, if they work pro bono
for costs only). Also maybe people who write the books about the trial.
2. Presumably, as usual with these publicity-seeking fundie gestures in
election years, the foolishness will die in a committee somewhere. If not,
see 1.
--
Mike Dworetsky
(Remove pants sp*mbl*ck to reply)
Mike Dworetsky
news:6f7bf235-2fdd-4fe3...@n77g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Sure. But let's guess that somewhere, somehow, the bill is aimed at letting
ID work its way in there.
Ron O
> On Mar 3, 10:43 am, jspace...@linuxquestions.net wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Also see "Will the battle on science and evolution move to the Florida
> > Legislature?" athttp://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2008/03/will-w...
>
> > From the article:
>
> > J. Spaceman
>
> I'd agree with that law, provided it admits that ID and creationism do
> _not_ count as legitimate scientific views protected under the law,
> and that, in fact, not only will teachers be fired who pretend that
> creationism and ID are scientific, but that school districts and
> teacher's unions will will be co-plaintiffs against them.
>
> Eric Root
What planet do you live on? Why would you expect honesty and
integrity from the person that would write such a bill and not be
specific about the alternatives that they were talking about?
This is the same stupid dishonest ploy that they tried when scientific
creationism was found to be bogus nearly 30 years ago. When they
found out that scientific creationism didn't make the grade they just
tried to sneak it in by just not mentioning what they wanted equal
time to teach. These Florida rubes have just found out that they have
been lied to about intelligent design, and have had the bait and
switch run on them so they know how bogus ID is, but they can still
lie about what they are trying to do. The saddest thing is that they
claim the moral high ground, but they are so deeply in a hole that
they can't even see daylight.
Ron Okimoto
Jim Lovejoy
news:slrnfsok26.ket....@rotten.egg.sandwich:
One nice thing about the bill is that it prohibits teachers from being
discriminated against for teaching Evolution.
Science standards or no science standards, it doesn't seem to be the case
now.
Electric Elvis
> "Every public school teacher in the state's K-12 school system shall
> have the affirmative right and freedom to objectively present
> scientific information relevant to the full range of scientific views
> regarding biological and chemical evolution in connection with
> teaching any prescribed curriculum regarding chemical or biological
> origins," Storms' bill states.
Of course, the teachers already had the right--even the
responsibility, if the material could be presented at the appropriate
level--to do this.
I see the words "objectively" and "scientific" but I have a feeling
the only thing fundies see is "full range of . . . views".
snex
the answer is right there in your post. we need to make more sensible
people. and that means promoting sense and reason. but you only want
to promote evolution, sense and reason take a back seat to YOUR
supernatural beliefs - and thats the exact same problem we have with
creationists.
snex
do you think theyd lose if it were judge roy moore? how many roy
moores do you think are out there just waiting for this to fall into
their laps? and when it gets to the SCOTUS, how do you know youll win?
we already know scalia's position. if one fucking wacko can be on the
SCOTUS, then it can be fully packed with them provided enough openings.
Walter Bushell
<2bc3d2bd-491a-44fd...@x30g2000hsd.googlegroups.com>,
Ron O <roki...@cox.net> wrote:
> These Florida rubes have just found out that they have
> been lied to about intelligent design, and have had the bait and
> switch run on them so they know how bogus ID is, but they can still
> lie about what they are trying to do. The saddest thing is that they
> claim the moral high ground, but they are so deeply in a hole that
> they can't even see daylight.
Or as I put it; so far around the bend that they can't see it from where
they are.
--
What is done in the heat of battle is (normatively) judged
by different standards than what is leisurely planned in
comfortable conference rooms.