Thoughts from Kansas

I'll be in Austin, TX later this week to attend NetrootsNation and to stare steely-eyed at the state's Board of Education. I will also be part of this exciting event:

Speakers to Highlight Dangers of Creationism Encroaching into the Public Schools

Austin, Texas (July 10, 2008)- Science education in Texas is under attack as never before, as evidenced by the recent ouster of State Director of Science Education Christine Castillo Comer for the offense of promoting science education. Now, as Comer pursues her lawsuit for wrongful termination, the Center for Inquiry-Austin, Texas Citizens for Science, and University of Texas Section of Integrative Biology invite the public to a forum on the fight to keep evolution at the forefront in science education.

Speakers and talks include:

· Steven Schafersman - "How Will Texas Oppose Aggressive, Organized Creationism in Texas?"

Schafersman is a 22-year veteran college and university science professor, and founder of the Texas Citizens for Science, where he has been president since 1980. His talk will focus on how Texas science supporters will oppose the continuing efforts of those who willfully demean science education.

· Ed Brayton - "Yes Virginia, it really is all about religion."

Brayton, founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science, is the voice behind the popular blogs Dispatches from the Culture Wars and The Panda's Thumb. He will show, despite claims to the contrary by proponents, the solely religious nature of the Intelligent Design movement.

· Josh Rosenau - "Nothing new under the sun: The evolution of creationism."

Rosenau, a staffer at the National Center for Science Education, describes the central irony of the creation-evolution controversy-how rapidly and frequently creationism evolves. He will show how creationist strategies have changed, what to expect in the future, and how to protect accurate science education in the public schools.

A question and answer period will follow the talks.

The program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at UT Campus, Burdine Hall, Room 108. Admission is free, and free parking is available at C Lot after 5:45 p.m. and in the LBJ Lot anytime. For more information, visit www.centerforinquiry.net/austin.

The Center for Inquiry/Transnational, a nonprofit, educational, advocacy, and scientific-research think tank based in Amherst, New York, is also home to the Council for Secular Humanism, founded in 1980; the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (formerly CSICOP), founded in 1976; and the Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health. The Center for Inquiry's research and educational projects focus on three broad areas: religion, ethics, and society; paranormal and fringe-science claims; and medicine and health. The Center's Web site is www.centerforinquiry.net.