On Wednesday the Bay District School Board voted to sign a resolution saying it does not agree with the proposed science standards as they are currently written.
The new proposed standards adjust language for life science that would move Florida schools into modern, 21st century thinking regarding the role of evolution (as central) in life science. The Bay District School Board has rejected this modernization, opting instead to allow the teaching of creationism along side evolution in public schools. This decision, if enacted, would be a violation of well established case law. If the Bay District School Board continues along this line, they risk legal action which will cost the district in time and money more than they are likely to be able to pay.
But, that is what happens when the citizens of a school district elect a group of right wing Christian Fundamentalist Morons to run their local education system.
The resolution that was passed ...
... says that the Bay County School Board "urges the State Board of Education to revise the new standards to allow for balanced, objective and intellectually open instruction in regard to evolution, teaching the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the theory rather than teaching evolution as dogmatic fact."
Not all members of the board voted in favor of the resolution, and some expressed, well, the truth about what is happening here:
Board member Ginger Littleton said she could not support the resolution. She believes this is more of a political move than an educational statement. She asked if any member had read the Sunshine State Standards completely, to which no board member could say yes.
There is more information on the blog of the Florida Citizens for Science.
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"Board member Ginger Littleton said she could not support the resolution. She believes this is more of a political move than an educational statement."
Although this is a start, it's a cop out to say that it is just "a political move" because it is also a religious one. This resolution is not objectionable because it is intermingling politics with the state; it is objectionable because it is intermingling religion with the state. And we all need to keep that firmly in mind.
Just once I'd like someone at one of these meetings to just say "Uhm wait, is this some kind of a joke? Are you people actually serious about this? We're talking about flying ghosts and people that live to be 500 years old and dragons and monsters and giants and floods and shit."
I simply do not understand why any education system even entertains the notion of hearings on this subject.
Tavis,
The system in the UK is somewhat different in that the curriculum is decided on a national basis by the people who should be deciding on such matters, namely the teachers, experts in the subject and employers. Occasionally we do get some idiots saying that ID/Creationism ought to be part of the curriculum. They essentially get told to go away and stop being idiots.
In America, we don't tell idiots to shut up and go away. We check their bank accounts, and see if they have funding for us. If they do, then we tell them everything they believe is really true.
We don't care what they think, or how stupid they are, as long as we get some of their money. We get funds, they get a Royal Arse-Kissing. Everyone's Happy.
If they don't have money, then we tell them to shut up and go away.
In Florida, lots of batty old fundies have money. They get option number 1.
That's your lesson in American psychology for today.
What are you evolutonist religionists afraid of? If Creation is foolishness, it will be exposed. If it has validity, it should be pursued.
Also please remember it is still call the "Theory" of Evolution for good reason. Please don't be so closed minded.