Rosenau in Texas

Be sure to read Josh Rosenau's account of the goings-on with the Texas School Board. Josh was in town to testify on behalf of sunshine and puppies. Here's an excerpt:

The best thing about the day was the stories of scientists, and nonscientists who've been touched by science. There was a grad student at UT (who I'd met at Netroots Nation last month) who is working on finding cures for cancer. The techniques he uses, he explained, rely heavily on understanding the shared ancestry of plants and animals. Indeed, he said, his research on cancer cures “would not work if not for evolution.” He also noted that his evolutionary research project was initiated by a senior labmate who is himself a creationist. The colleague started studying evolution to find a weakness in it, and is now known as the lab evolution expert, and hasn't yet found the flaw.

A woman rose to testify, guided to the podium by a friend who explained “she's hard of sight.” She explained that she was compelled to testify because of how important science education has been for her. “I am able to be here today because I am in a drug research study... getting medicine rather than placebo.” She rightly attributed the research which is preserving her sight to strong science education, and to researchers' understanding of evolution.

That's from near the end. Go read the whole thing. Abstract arguments about science and religion are all well and good, but getting things done on the ground is what really matters. Thanks to Josh, the NCSE and everyone else who testified on behalf of science education in Texas.