Missouri is once again trying to shame anyone capable of critical thought who hasn’t yet fled for one of the coasts. Sponsored by Andrew Koenig of West St. Louis County (go figure), HB 179 intends to challenge the teaching of evolution in schools and allow other mythological alternatives to be explored.
Introducing Missouri House Bill 179:
An act to amend chapter 170, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to teacher academic freedom to teach scientific evidence regarding evolution.
Luckily, the scientific ignorance required for this kind of thought appears to bleed over into literary ignorance, as well. The bill is worded in a way that allows one to completely ignore Intelligent Design and be well within the letter of the law. Let’s take a look at the bill.
170.335. 1. The state board of education, public elementary and secondary school governing authorities, superintendents of schools, school system administrators, and public elementary and secondary school principals and administrators shall endeavor to create an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that encourages students to explore scientific questions, learn about scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills, and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about controversial issues, including biological and chemical evolution. Such educational authorities in this state shall also endeavor to assist teachers to find more effective ways to present the science curriculum where it addresses scientific controversies. Toward this end, teachers shall be permitted to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of the theory of biological and hypotheses of chemical evolution. [emphasis added]
Nothing wrong with this, so far. Science is all about addressing the strengths and weaknesses of current theories. A good science teacher will encourage critical thinking regarding all scientific issues. The problem for the creationists with this bill is that there is not a scientific controversy between evolution and creationism. Certain aspects of evolution are always under debate, just as in all of science, but the theory, as a whole, is accepted throughout the scientific community.
The debate between creationists and the scientific community is not a scientific controversy, it’s a political controversy created for political reasons. A teacher can refuse to acknowledge Intelligent Design and still be following the letter of this proposed law as it is currently worded.
2. Neither the state board of education, nor any public elementary or secondary school governing authority, superintendent of schools, or school system administrator, nor any public elementary or secondary school principal or administrator shall prohibit any teacher in a public school system of this state from helping students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of biological or chemical evolution whenever these subjects are taught within the course curriculum schedule.[emphasis added]
Here they continue to use the adjective “scientific” to describe which strengths and weaknesses should be discussed. The ignorance of creationists obviously goes beyond science and into linguistics, as well. Any teacher trying to defend themselves if this bill is passed will only need to bring a dictionary with them as evidence.
3. This section only protects the teaching of scientific information and this section shall not be construed to promote any religious or nonreligious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or nonbeliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion. Scientific information includes physical evidence and logical inferences based upon evidence.
4. No later than the start of the 2014-15 school year, the department of elementary and secondary education shall notify all public school superintendents of the provisions of this section. Each superintendent shall then disseminate to all employees within his or her school system a copy of this section.
The whole thing is topped off with the predictable disclaimer about religion, which technically makes the whole thing useless to their cause. Then there’s rules for getting the teachers started with all of this nonsense. The cold hard facts are that evolution is not under attack by any real scientists. It is only a political issue, as religion has historically been a very good way to keep the people under control, along with dividing the populace, two things this bill accomplishes rather well.
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