Liveblogging The State Board Of Education Meeting On Science Standards

We’re a little late to the party, but we’re going to liveblog the SBOE’s meeting today on science standards.

12:20 p.m. Mike Keys, a fellow with the Discovery institute is speaking now. Discovery is an anti-evolution group. “We need not science conclusion teachers, we need science teachers….that doesn’t make sense in science education policy,” whereupon he lets into the NCSE’s Dr. Eugenie Scott and sounds pretty petty doing so.

12:17 p.m. Ok, the software engineer is talking about problems with evolution. This guy is a software engineer who has only studied, on his OWN, science, and he is speaking to the SBOE as if he were an expert on evolution and evolutionary biology. Doesn’t want his kids to hear one-sided arguments. He’s a creationism/intelligent design shill. Sounds like he was a “placed witness” because someone on the SBOE just asked him to read something from his paper.

12:16 p.m. A software engineer (missed his name) is speaking. Says he has studied biochemestry and mollecular biology.

12:15 p.m. Terri Leo just asked Valentine if he was speaking for TFN or himself, saying he signed up for himself. Ryan tells her Kathy, TFN’s president couldn’t be there. WHAT was her point, other than to be a snot?

12:13 p.m. Rightwinger Ken Mercer (R-San Antonio) is asking questions now. Asks a really stupid question about why they are concerned about that one phrase when there is so much in the standards. “It is your implication that if a board member votes for [the curriculum' that overrides everything else?" Ryan says that the "weaknesses" is the entre for the watering down to get in curriculum in Texas.

12:12 p.m. the board member asks something about the fossil record; Valentine says he'll let the scientists speak to that.

12:11 p.m. A member is asking a question and I can't hear it on the live feed..."what is the value of analyze and evaluate over strengths and weaknesses?" Ryan answers that teachers and scientits made it clear that it is language more commonly used in science field [the a&e language, that is]

12:10 p.m. [they insure] “that texas kids will be able to compete…” in higher ed and the workforce.” He mentions Obama’s pledge to “restore science to its rightful place.” Says that if the SBOE adopts “s&w” it will send a message to the nation that science takes a back seat in Texas.  “Restore science to its rightful place in Texas.”

12:09 p.m. “As sure as night follows day, it means this board will make another attempt to get bad science into our kids’ textbooks,” Valentine tells the board.

12:08 p.m. Ryan Valentine from the Texas Freedom Network is up

12:07 p.m. Dr. Trotter, a witness, says that taking out the “strenths and weaknesses” is censorship. BS.

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