Bill Would Make “Strengths And Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law
By Vince Leibowitz on Mar 14, 2009 in 81st Texas Legislature, Featured, Texas Education ![[Post to Twitter]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
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A bill filed Friday in the Texas House of Representatives would make an end-run around the curriculum setting authority of the state’s elected State Board of Education and codify the requirement that the “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories–including evolution–be taught in Texas public school classrooms.
The battle over the language used to shape curriculum standards with regard to the teaching of scientific principles has been a hot button issue for Christian conservatives, young earth creationists, intelligent design advocates, and Texas Republicans since the 1990s, when the party first engineered its takeover of the State Board of Education.
The battle erupted again in full force late last year because of the decennial requirement that the State Board of Education establish new or revised curriculum standards for science–a battle that continues to rage although the SBOE dropped the controversial language from new curriculum standards in January.
The “strengths and weaknesses” language has been criticized from all sides.
While the bill in question, HB 4224 by State Rep. Wayne Christian (R-Center) doesn’t mention the word “evolution,” its language makes it clear that the teaching of evolution–and allowing teachers to pollute students’ minds with misconceptions about evolution–is the primary target:
Sec. 28.0027. STUDY OF SCIENCE. (a) As part of the
essential knowledge and skills of the science curriculum under
Section 28.002(a)(1)(C), the State Board of Education by rule shall
establish elements relating to instruction on the scientific
hypotheses and theories for grades 6-12.
(b) Instructional elements for scientific processes: the
student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to
make informed decisions. The student is expected to analyze,
review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses
and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific
evidence and information;
(c) Students may be evaluated based upon their
understanding of course materials, but no student in any public
school or institution shall be penalized in any way because he or
she subscribes to a particular position on scientific theories or
hypotheses;
The specific end-run around the State Board of Education, which has already dumped the standards, comes in the next paragraph:
(d) No governmental entity shall prohibit any teacher in a
public school system of this state from helping students to
understand, analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations,
including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and
weaknesses using scientific evidence and information.
Basically, the legislation has the effect of moving the debate over evolution from the State Board of Education to the floor of the House and Senate–and, first, the House Public Education Committee. Evidently not satisfied with admitting defeat at the hands of a well-informed public, parents, teachers, clergy, and more, the Christian Right has decided that it will simply have to legislate itself out of its current predicament. Christian’s bill would basically void the standards the SBOE just voted to adopt and would allow schools to teach whatever they wish–factual or non-factual–about not just evolution but any scientific theory from how the earth was created to how diseases are transmitted.
In a worst-case-scenario, Christian’s bill would allow public school teachers to feed students most anything regarding anything of a scientific nature. To give you some idea of what could be taught under Christian’s bill, we give you these gems:
•Hurricanes aren’t caused by global warming, or anything to do with ocean and atmosphereic temperature because all of that is based upon fuzzy math and incorrect science; instead, they are caused by God’s wrath and sent to rein down upon cities he views as immoral because it is a more logical viewpoint.
•HIV/AIDS isn’t an autoimmune disease, but rather God’s punishment upon homosexuals because it is more logical to believe that than what scientists have come up with.
•Condom’s never work because the theories and evidence supporting their use are flawed, so abstaining from sex is the only form of birth control acceptable under any circumstance.
Clearly, conservatives are upset that they lost their most recent round at the State Board of Education, so instead of licking their wounds and going home, they are simply changing the venue for the debate.
This bill could literally cripple the House Public Education Committee for several days worth of hearings if rightwingers on the committee lobby for it.
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[...] state law. This probably won’t go anywhere, but it’s never a bad idea to be vigilant. Vince has [...]
[...] Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms in Bill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. [...]
[...] Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms in Bill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. [...]
[...] Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms in Bill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. [...]
[...] Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms in Bill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. [...]