…and this is a 
Taylor County, Florida wins the prize!
Category: Creationism
Posted on: January 8, 2008 10:31 PM, by PZ Myers
The Taylor County school board has taken a big step: they've voted to oppose evolution:
Whereas, the Florida Department of Education has drafted and is now proposing new Sunshine State Standards for Science, the Taylor County School Board opposes the implementation of the new standards as currently presented.
Whereas, the new Sunshine State Standards for Science no longer present evolution as theory but as "the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported in multiple forms of scientific evidence," we are requesting that the State Board of Education direct the Florida Department of Education to revise/edit the new Sunshine State Standards for Science so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed.
Whereas, the Taylor County School Board recognizes the importance of providing a thorough and comprehensive Science education to all the students in Taylor County and to all students in the state of Florida, it recognizes as even more important the need to present these standards through a fair and balanced approach, an approach that does not unfairly exclude other theories as to the creation of the universe.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Taylor County School Board of Taylor County, Perry, Florida, that the Board urges the State Board of Education to direct the Florida Department of Education to revise the new Sunshine State Standards for Science such that evolution is not presented as fact, but as one of several theories.
Charming, huh? Voting is magic! Let's vote that pi=3, little green men live on Mars, and that it will rain money every Sunday.
Politics
Comments
Posted by: Gregory Kusnick | January 8, 2008 10:43 PM
The Indiana State Legislature once voted to make pi=3.2.
Somehow, the universe refused to conform.
" . . . one of several theories as to how the universe was formed"?
What would the other ones be? And they need to be THEORIES, i.e., a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena. I wonder what alternative they would propose that would live up to the standards of actual science?
Posted by: cureholder | January 8, 2008 10:43 PM
Posted by: Chris G. | January 8, 2008 10:45 PM
"Whereas, the Taylor County School Board recognizes the importance of providing a thorough and comprehensive Science education to all the students in Taylor County and to all students in the state of Florida, it recognizes as even more important the need to present these standards through a fair and balanced approach, an approach that does not unfairly exclude other theories as to the creation of the universe."
I think the committee in charge of writing the first part of this sentence forgot to check with the committee that wrote the second part. The second part seems to have sorta forget that they were talking about the science class and scientific definitions of "theory" rather than the "I think the butler did it in the study with the wrench" sort of theory.
Posted by: Bad | January 8, 2008 10:45 PM
> so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed.
What's it got to do with the universe? Surely when we talk of 'evolution' we're talking about the development of biological life on earth, not the origin of the Universe?
These people can't even draft a resolution without conflating concepts (and abusing the word theory as a free bonus).
Posted by: Jason | January 8, 2008 10:46 PM
Whereas, The Taylor County School Board are a bunch of twats.
What a load of self-aggrandising, self-serving BS. I'm a fucking barrister and we don't write goddamn WHEREAS or THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED anymore. If they think talking in Ye Olde Goddamn English makes what they're saying any less craptastic they're sadly mistaken.
Posted by: Bride of Shrek | January 8, 2008 10:48 PM
There needs to be a name for this prize. Something along the lines of: "Bill 'Oxycontin' Buckingham Prize for Mendacious Stupidity" or "Thomas More Law Centre Prize for Wasting School District Money on Law Suits You Can't Possibly Win".
Monetary value: -$1000000.
Additional perks: getting turfed at the next election.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | January 8, 2008 10:48 PM
Thanks for linking, PZ. The more light we shine on these people, the better.
Posted by: Brandon | January 8, 2008 10:50 PM
It looks like the Pastafarians will have some new people to educate.
Posted by: Jessa | January 8, 2008 10:54 PM
Ahh, just push 'em in the ocean. I'm hungry, and haven't had a decent sacrifice in days...
Posted by: Cthulhu | January 8, 2008 10:57 PM
This is what happens when America thinks with its wang.
Posted by: J Myers | January 8, 2008 11:00 PM
Whereas let it be resolved that the commenters of Pharyngula vote to force the lousy anti-intellectuals to list all of the alternate theories they want to mandate including in class, and let the list be part of the public record.
Posted by: speedwell | January 8, 2008 11:06 PM
In case their silly vote is more than phony,
Taylor County--please vote me a pony!
Posted by: Cuttlefish, OM | January 8, 2008 11:08 PM
Idiots.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 8, 2008 11:10 PM
...so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed
What are you folks complaining about? The school board is obviously so enamored with TOE that they're willing to extend it way beyond biology.
Posted by: ngong | January 8, 2008 11:16 PM
Time to call out MC Hawking again.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 8, 2008 11:25 PM
Might as well rain money. Those barely-accredited Christian colleges cause it to rain diplomas every May and December.
Florida is a gross place to me now. I shall never visit it.
Posted by: The Stone | January 8, 2008 11:25 PM
Huckabee's people. What a load of Hucktards.
Happy Nisbet? This will be what's left for Collins to endorse. It's so vertical.
Posted by: Ken Cope | January 8, 2008 11:27 PM
Shit, that was the wrong MC Hawking. This is the right one.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 8, 2008 11:29 PM
This is to be expected from a state whose official song contains the following verse:
Posted by: Mister DNA | January 8, 2008 11:29 PM
I'm a bit of a luddite.
So sometimes when I see these things, I envision the drafters not as complete idiots, but as crafty people who are insulating their county from undue economic growth and expansion. And hey, none of those annoying know-it-alls will move here.
Posted by: notthedroids | January 8, 2008 11:33 PM
"other theories as to the creation of the universe"
Oh man... they don't have a clue. I'm almost embarrassed for them.
Posted by: Evolved1 | January 8, 2008 11:33 PM
It's amazing that people who write non sequiturs think they're intelligent enough to dictate school policy. Um, gee, dumbfucks, there's no contradiction between teaching evolution as theory and as the fundamental concept underlying all of biology.
Nonetheless, I have to wonder if it's "the" fundamental concept underlying all of biology. True, it's the fundamental concept unique (at least unique in its particular form) to biology which also underlies all of biology, however many fundamental concepts actually do underlie biology, including QM.
By the way, morons on the school board, it's time that you deal with the congruent evidences coming from independent lines of investigation which in fact do support this particular theory, and the utter lack of any line of evidence which supports Platonic forms, naive myths (Genesis, Ovid), or a completely worthless concept like ID. If you could actually address those issues adequately, you might have a point. Lacking any ability to deal with the evidence, you indicate that you're badly in need of education yourselves, apparently from a more intelligent region, like NYC.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Glen Davidson | January 8, 2008 11:34 PM
Ignorance, thy name is Floridian.
Would someone please explain to me why the southern states are such champions of pig ignorance? Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: waldteufel | January 8, 2008 11:36 PM
My daughter used to teach a special education class in Perry, Florida. You get a lot of special education kids when elementary school children are being sexually abused by their relatives.
Other than that, Taylor County is a nice quiet rural piney woods forest area, but I wouldn't want to live there.
Posted by: bobalu49 | January 8, 2008 11:39 PM
"...it recognizes as even more important the need to present these standards through a fair and balanced approach..."
Fox News fair and balanced or actual fair and balanced? I'm guessing the former.
"...an approach that does not unfairly exclude other theories as to the creation of the universe."
What's the problem then? A "theory" of the creation of the universe (are we talking about cosmology or biology?) that is based on faith and religious belief is being excluded, while one of the strongest scientific theories in existence is being included. I'm pretty sure that's fair.
Posted by: Alex | January 8, 2008 11:45 PM
In addition to what others have quite rightly said about this, you're far too much tipping your hand toward violation of the 1st Amendment there. Sure, you're too dumb to recognize that evolution isn't a creation myth, but merely the recognition of what has happened well after the "creation" of the universe. Unfortunately for yourselves, though, you quoted the fact that evolution is a fundamental concept of biology, rather than of cosmology, and your complete ignorance of the difference between the two areas of study is no excuse.
See the thing is, fuckwits, that the religionists who accept evolution are certainly correct about one thing, which is that evolution happens not to be the rival of an actual creation myth (though it treads on Biblical creation myths). It is not a theory about anything involving creation at all, even, rather about change through time. You just hate it because it supplants your magic, however you're too ignorant and prejudiced to be able to distinguish between your religion and the carefully delineated domains in science.
Thus you're setting yourselves up for a whopping large charge over the impending lawsuit, if you keep going down that road of stupidity. Why don't you morons call up the Dover school board, and ask how they like paying the costs to point out how brazenly stupid, arrogant, and uneducated so many of the previous members (and too many present members) of that board really are? You might get to pay much more to show that you're at least as stupid.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Glen Davidson | January 8, 2008 11:46 PM
Evolution as a theory of how the universe was formed?
that's flattering in scope, but ignorant.
Posted by: Michael | January 8, 2008 11:49 PM
Since the debut of Faux News, every time I hear the words; "fair" and "balanced" used together, I know to expect neither.
I really wouldn't be opposed to making Florida the all-YEC, all the time state. Why not? It'll be underwater soon enough...
Posted by: raindogzilla | January 8, 2008 11:50 PM
Call it what it is. They've voted to lie about the nature of scientific theories.
Posted by: Les Lane | January 8, 2008 11:55 PM
Two words: Religious Fundamentalism.
I love the softball questions.
(I'm stating the obvious here, but I must. It's not strictly geographical. There are ignorant fools everywhere, but the culture of ignorance is more firmly rooted in those areas where the Fundies predominate. Trends notwithstanding, all my friends and acquaintences from the South are intelligent, educated, politically moderate in a broad sense - no flaming lefties or wingnuts - and exhibit a range of religiousity from atheist to church-shunning believers. None deny evolution, none believe in a young earth, and even the Kentuckians think the Creation Museum is at best a sorry embarrassment.)
Posted by: Kseniya | January 8, 2008 11:57 PM
Sigh. I can't say I'm surprised. Taylor County has some serious self-destructive tendencies, with their tendency to welcome polluting industry at the expense of their natural resources and public health. It is only a small step from there to self-imposed public humiliation for pandering to Creationists. I can't say that I'm happy about it, but I am not surprised.
Posted by: Diego | January 9, 2008 12:00 AM
Taylor County... is that where they shot Deliverance?
Posted by: forsen | January 9, 2008 12:01 AM
Hey!
We in Ohio will have you know that southern states do NOT have a monopoly on rampant idiocy. Our own standard bearers for intellectual incompetency have led the way for many a year, and I am sure they would be incensed to hear you say such things if they bothered to educate themselves about, well, anything.
Also, let's not forget the woefully misinformed in Kansas. They might not be happy to hear you steal the title of "champion of pig ignorance". But they're not usually happy about anything.
Posted by: Rich Stage | January 9, 2008 12:11 AM
And then there's the part where the Taylor County resolution was passed unanimously by the Board!
Even if the sample size is small, these people are supposed to have been selected as representative of their voters. Can it be that almost no-one in the County is speaking out for science?
Posted by: JohnnieCanuck, FCD | January 9, 2008 12:17 AM
Carl Baugh is at it again.
People and dinosaurs lived together, and as evidence he's giving...
wait for it
wait for it...
The Loch Ness monster.
Posted by: K | January 9, 2008 12:17 AM
"so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed."
Umm... Honest question. Do these folks know anything about science at all? Namely that there is more than one branch of it?
I know I'm not the first to comment on that little tidbit, but... Wow. Head hurts. I need to lie down after that one.
Posted by: Kevin L. | January 9, 2008 12:19 AM
This is wonderfully amusing, in its grotesque, southern gothic way... It is unfair that evolution has turned out to be the only coherent story we can tell about life-- unfair, that is, to the innocent presuppositions of faith-based ignorance. But to anyone who can appreciate wonder and richness, it's downright beautiful.
Posted by: Bryson Brown | January 9, 2008 12:27 AM
This stuff just continues to amaze/amuse me.
How on earth can a group of adults on a school board come up with a resolution with no one saying something to the effect of . . .
"Oh, um, y'know . . . you may not like, um, evilooshun, but, um, it's not about how the universe was formed. It's just about how life on earth developed. Y'know . . . it's not even about how life on earth originally started. So, maybe, y'know, you shouldn't say stuff about not teaching evilooshun as being a theory of how the universe started, because, um . . . NOBODY IS TEACHING THAT YOU MORONS!"
Posted by: ShockedISaid | January 9, 2008 12:27 AM
Wow! Cosmology. Isn't there are theory that the fine-tuning of the universe constants isn't due to some antropic principal but due to evolution via black holes? So we have:
1. Big bang
2. Steady State
3. Pulsating universe (I love that one),
4. Evolution of the multiverse,
5. Godditit.
Posted by: bill r | January 9, 2008 12:30 AM
We shouldn't rush to conclusions over this. After all, the minutes of the Taylor County School Board meeting says they started the meeting with a prayer. I'm pretty certain they asked God for wisdom. God wouldn't turn down a plea from a nice school board, now would he? Especially since they're willing to flout church/state separation by praying as representatives of a public sector institution.
Posted by: Zeno | January 9, 2008 12:30 AM
But to anyone who can appreciate wonder and richness, it's downright beautiful.
And the people said, rAmen!!
Seriously. It's amazing...and awesome (in the original sense, as Eddie Izzard would say).
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 12:32 AM
Maybe we should hold off on reigning in global warming, until Florida is completely underwater at least.
Posted by: Eirikr Einarsson | January 9, 2008 12:33 AM
One more data point regarding the (in)efficacy of prayer.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 9, 2008 12:34 AM
Watching Disneyworld sink beneath the waves would be oddly satisfying, but I'd be sorry to see Cape Canaveral and the Everglades go under.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 9, 2008 12:37 AM
Uhh, what happens when a law is factually inaccurate?
Posted by: Justin H. | January 9, 2008 12:37 AM
but I'd be sorry to see Cape Canaveral and the Everglades go under.
Imagine the eco-tourism opportunities!
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 12:38 AM
Sadly, Bride of Shrek, the plain language movement hasn't really taken hold yet in the U.S. And so yes, everything from congress to the local school board writes like this. Not just the morons.
Posted by: Kevin | January 9, 2008 12:39 AM
I for one welcome the opportunity to introduce more students to Pastafarianism in public schools.
Only His Noodleliness has the balls to create the universe.
Posted by: rlow | January 9, 2008 12:42 AM
"Whereas, the new Sunshine State Standards for Science no longer present evolution as theory but as "the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported in multiple forms of scientific evidence,"
You don't suppose that's because the people who wrote the standards for the whole state know more about science than you do, do you? Oh no no.
Posted by: Rey Fox | January 9, 2008 12:45 AM
"Whereas, the Taylor County School Board recognizes the importance of providing a thorough and comprehensive Science education to all the students in Taylor County and to all students in the state of Florida, it recognizes as even more important the need to present these standards through a fair and balanced approach,
Surely what they mean is Fair & Balanced®. Rupert Murdoch's lawyers will be in touch. Or not. May he burn in his nonexistent Hell.
Posted by: Ray C. | January 9, 2008 1:01 AM
we are requesting that the State Board of Education direct the Florida Department of Education to revise/edit the new Sunshine State Standards for Science so that evolution is presented as one of several theories as to how the universe was formed.
Yeah, let's teach them the one of the theories about how the universe it was formed blah blah blah...
Good grief. Yep, the next U.S. presidential election is gonna be a fun one!! I can tell already...
Posted by: 386sx | January 9, 2008 1:04 AM
"Whereas, the new Sunshine State Standards for Science no longer present evolution as theory but as [the definition of 'theory' in the context of Science]
There is so much irony here, it is hard to believe it was achieved by ignorance. We wouldn't ascribe malice to these people would we?
Posted by: JohnnieCanuck, FCD | January 9, 2008 1:09 AM
Ahh, just push 'em in the ocean. I'm hungry, and haven't had a decent sacrifice in days...
sorry, great Cthulhu, we just don't think these infidels worthy of your cavernous maw.
we don't want you getting sick before your grand entrance now, do we?
btw, Dagon's cell phone battery must be on the fritz or something, he hasn't picked up in days now. tell him to check his email or something, please?
thanks,
a devoted future snack.
Posted by: Cthulhu's snack | January 9, 2008 1:10 AM
This is sorta like watching a drunken monkey play with a handgun
Posted by: Lago | January 9, 2008 1:12 AM
This is sorta like watching a drunken monkey play with a handgun
Two images lept to mind: Eddie Izzard doing his "monkeys with guns" riff on the NRA; and Chief Wiggum eating donuts off his gun in the Simpsons Movie. No relevance, but I'm just sitting here giggling.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:16 AM
"Carl Baugh is at it again.
People and dinosaurs lived together, and as evidence he's giving...
wait for it
wait for it...
The Loch Ness monster."
Hey buddy, I just went and saw "The Water Horse" and I think that movie was great so screw-off!
Posted by: Lago | January 9, 2008 1:17 AM
Also, let's not forget the woefully misinformed in Kansas. They might not be happy to hear you steal the title of "champion of pig ignorance". But they're not usually happy about anything.
don't forget Texas.
and even rural areas of my own state of CA have had their share of moronic school board shenanigans in the last few years, sad to say.
the point being that indeed, idiocy is NOT a localized phenomenon.
it's a problem that exists in everyone's backyards.
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjneal/stupid.wav
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 9, 2008 1:21 AM
the point being that indeed, idiocy is NOT a localized phenomenon.
it's a problem that exists in everyone's backyards.
That's why I stay in apartments in the city: no back yard.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:23 AM
Actually, this is a very common format for political resolutions in the U.S., from the town council level all the way up (?) to the Houses of Congress. Yeah, it's pretentious, but it's How Things Are Officially Done.
I don't begrudge them that. The real problem I have with it (outside of, say, the actual content of the resolution) is that they can't even get their use of "whereas" right. In resolutions of this sort it is used to mean "given the fact that . . .", and each clause beginning "Whereas . . ." presents an additional reason for a resolution, which is stated in the final paragraph ("... therefore, be it resolved that ..."). But that's not what they're doing here. Instead, their second paragraph presents both a reason and resolution ("whereas X, we are recommending Y"), and their third paragraph uses "whereas" to mean "although".
Having resolved to muff the substance, they can't get even the form right. Idiots2.
Posted by: noncarborundum | January 9, 2008 1:23 AM
Yup, Congress. The lovely "We're a Christian Nation Waah Waah" resolution have been in this format. I remember writing things this way when I was on Student Senate back at Iowa State.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:25 AM
I hear he gave his wife an orgasm once.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | January 9, 2008 1:42 AM
There should be one of those campaign advertisement disclaimers at the end of it:
"I'm Stupid. I'm an Idiot. I'm Uneducated. I'm Clueless. And we approved this message."
Posted by: Hank Fox | January 9, 2008 1:44 AM
I hear he gave his wife an orgasm once.
From what some of my girlfriend's tell me, this is a statistical improbability.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:45 AM
Time to pass out the pop-corn, here cometh Dover II. Who knows, they may even break Kent out of prison as a star "expert"...
Posted by: Nick Sullivan | January 9, 2008 1:48 AM
From what some of my girlfriend's tell me, this is a statistical improbability.
how would they know...
[Hovind]Were they THERE?[/Hovind]
sorry, just had to.
:p
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 9, 2008 1:48 AM
how would they know...
[Hovind]Were they THERE?[/Hovind]
sorry, just had to.
Well, Goddidit and "faking it" are pretty much the same thing aren't they?
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:51 AM
there is a reason that Fark has a special tag just for stories from Florida...this richly illustrates why...
Posted by: CanadianChick | January 9, 2008 1:53 AM
Well, Goddidit and "faking it" are pretty much the same thing aren't they?
hmm, i have to rethink what it means when whoever I'm dating at the time says "OH GOD!!!" at what I thought were 'critical' moments...
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 9, 2008 1:53 AM
#42,
Think of it as God understanding the futility of the effort.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | January 9, 2008 1:55 AM
I don't think it is southern per se but closer toward the equator. We seem to have a higher concentration of nutcases in Queensland. It might be some corollary of the coriolis effect.
We have an acronym reserved for the epicentre of this kind of thing: FNQ
Posted by: grinch | January 9, 2008 1:57 AM
Actually the question mark was not for whether Congress uses that format (I'm aware of H.R. 888 and even considered mentioning it). It was for whether the direction from town council to Congress is really "up".
Posted by: noncarborundum | January 9, 2008 1:58 AM
hmm, i have to rethink what it means when whoever I'm dating at the time says "OH GOD!!!" at what I thought were 'critical' moments...
sorry.....
Posted by: MAJeff | January 9, 2008 1:59 AM
This was just a 'we urge you' resolution that is now more than six weeks old. It is only a sad little wail at the state board for firming up support for evolution in the statewide standards.
No lawsuits since the vote was nothing but a worthless piece of propaganda to make their voters feel all Christiany. Nice of them to light up their own targetting beacon for us, though.
Posted by: Sean | January 9, 2008 2:01 AM
sorry.....
no worries, i just take it as more evidence of god's nonexistence.
:P
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 9, 2008 2:03 AM
Does this mean we can vote for beer volcanoes and striper factories now?
Posted by: Blahblahyaddablah | January 9, 2008 2:15 AM
Does this mean we can vote for beer volcanoes and striper factories now?
yes. yes it does.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 9, 2008 2:16 AM
cureholder @ 2: "The Indiana State Legislature once voted to make pi=3.2. Somehow, the universe refused to conform."
But ever since then, the ratio between a circle's diameter and its circumference has been π-0.0584073464....
Posted by: Pyre | January 9, 2008 2:29 AM
I'm one of the Kentuckians horrified by the creation museum. I now live in western Michigan, in an area fiercely Calvinist (complete with Jesus fish, blue laws, and people wearing "Darwin Lied!" t-shirts.) It hasn't been my experience that this sort of belief underlying this proclamation is particularly southern.
Certain manifestations of these attitudes may be regional, though. People in the south talk funny and have a tradition of being politically cantankerous. People where I come from also often don't care what evidence exists if the bearer of the news is pushy and impolite, and will resist on principle.
I think one of the reasons evolution and atheism gets rejected out of hand is that a lot of freethinkers are inclined to call assertive believers stuff like 'fuckwit'.
I agree with the sentiments expressed in the comments here most of the time, but I have been deeply conditioned to feel revulsion at rude behavior, even when engaged in serious struggle, and perhaps that is a Southern thing.
I'm not lecturing anyone. I'm trying to explain what occurs viscerally when I hear an argument made through insults.
My sensibilities aren't such that I can't stand up to it, but I don't want to engage in it. I can either persuade with some dignity and reserve, or I would rather end the debate and take some practical action, like a lawsuit in the case of this silly proclamation. YMMV.
Posted by: Dave Eaton | January 9, 2008 2:54 AM
It's pathetic that people bring up that the Bible says pi=3.
It doesn't.
It does describe a vessel (with a substantial brim) using that ratio, but no one knows the intended precision and whether the outside or inside diameter was being referred to.
Sheesh!
Posted by: Ross Nixon | January 9, 2008 2:57 AM
I am so disappointed. We recently visited Orlando and had a great time. The fishing is also excellent in Florida. I would like to retire there, but fundies give me hives. Is there any way that we can hurry up this Rapture thing?
Posted by: NJ Osprey | January 9, 2008 3:04 AM
To steal a line posted elsewhere, they must be thinking of Darwin's less famous work, "On the Origin of Spacetime"
Posted by: Troublesome Frog | January 9, 2008 3:13 AM
begrudge them that. The real problem I have with it (outside of, say, the actual content of the resolution) is that they can't even get their use of "whereas" right. In resolutions of this sort it is used to mean "given the fact that . . .", and each clause 烟气余热蒸汽炉
刮板式薄膜蒸发器
蒸馏塔
除尘器
填料beginning "Whereas . . ." presents an additional reason for a resolution, which is stated in the final paragraph
Posted by: dd | January 9, 2008 3:24 AM
Saith the PZ:
They don't have to. Many of them probably shower their 'pastors' with donations on a regular basis already.
Posted by: Peter Barber | January 9, 2008 3:52 AM
Sunshine State Standards for Science
try saying that ten times fast
Posted by: JakeS | January 9, 2008 4:20 AM
It is, however, describing a rather large (and particularly silly) structure, so it shouldn't have been too much to expect the bible to say, "and a line of thirty-one cubits did compass it round about" instead of thirty.
Posted by: Armchair Dissident | January 9, 2008 4:36 AM
Nice comments, Dave Eaton.
Posted by: j a higginbotham | January 9, 2008 5:10 AM
@#$%&*!!!
Ah,never mind, I'll just walk down to the beach and watch the sunrise. Oh, and all you non Florida residents, thanks for all your support.
Posted by: Fernando Magyar | January 9, 2008 5:40 AM
Quick search on Danny Lundy, who pushed the motion in this school board gives :
http://www.nfcc.edu/AlumFdn/alumni2005.html
NFJC : North Florida Junior County
1972 NFJC graduate, pastor, public works supervisor for City of Perry, school board member, Perry, Fla.
Also,
http://www.taylorbaptistassociation.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=19313&PID=118613
Rev. Danny Lundy
Taylor Baptist Association
A baptist minister with a Junior College degree knows of course much better than all scientists what are the details of the history of the universe....
And of course, as a baptist minister, you are sure that his religion didn't influence his motion.
Posted by: negentropyeater | January 9, 2008 5:42 AM
Dave Eaton:
From a resident of West Michigan (formerly Grand Rapids, now Kalamazoo), I have to say, spot on.
An Alabamian transplant I know once said of the area, "Y'all have the same stupid attitudes up here, but at least the South has a little style about it."
West Michigan is sort of a mutant step-sibling to the IDiot portions of the South.
Posted by: chancelikely | January 9, 2008 6:18 AM
Idiots.
Way to force your irrational beliefs on other peoples kids.
Posted by: Kcanadensis | January 9, 2008 7:02 AM
More than just ignorance of science coming from Mr Lundy:
"4.02 Award of Bids
Upon motion by Darrell Whiddon, seconded by Kenneth Dennis, with Danny Lundy abstaining, the
Board approved the following award of bid.
1.) Seal Bid for Carpentry House
The bid was awarded to Doyle Lundy. Mr. Lundy was the highest bidder at $61,000.00."
So the highest bid was approved, and just happened to be a relative of Mr Lundy?
Posted by: davem | January 9, 2008 7:14 AM
"Fair and balanced" huh? Look up "fair and balanced" in this Republican to English dictionary and you'll get what they really mean: http://www.dailyawesome.com/2007/11/republican_to_english_dictionary
Posted by: Ric | January 9, 2008 7:24 AM
This does not surprise me at all. I live in the next county. Dealing with Taylor County in any capacity it trying at best. Moving into the 20th century is going to be a challenge let alone the 21st.
Posted by: giscindy | January 9, 2008 8:10 AM