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.
March 16, 2009 at 6:00 pm
it’s time to take a look at some of the best posts from last week by members of the Texas Progressive Alliance. Here are the submissions: Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. Bay Area Houston says State Representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter ID
March 16, 2009 at 3:40 pm
it’s time to take a look at some of the best posts from last week by members of the Texas Progressive Alliance. Here are the submissions: Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. Bay Area Houston says State Representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter ID
March 16, 2009 at 1:00 pm
blogs. Mayor McSleaze McBlogger returns from his holiday to post his thoughts on developments in the Wall Street infotainment industry. Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. State representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials, notes JohnCoby at Bay Area Houston. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter
March 17, 2009 at 12:09 pm
The other sweetheart of a bill also attempts to overturn the decision of a board that supposedly is an expert in education and replace their decision; the story was broken by our bloodhound at the Lege, Vince from Capitol Annex in his postBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching of Evolution State Law:
March 17, 2009 at 3:15 am
Pasadena has its first fantasy action hero candidate for city council. At least by the unauthorized t-shirts and caps of some supporters. Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. Bay Area Houston says State Representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter ID
March 15, 2009 at 1:24 pm
truly go away, and where the SBOE failed State Rep. Wayne Christian will try again with HB4224, which would put the bogus “strengths and weaknesses” language into state law. This probably won’t go anywhere, but it’s never a bad idea to be vigilant.Vincehas more.
March 17, 2009 at 4:11 pm
mean it’s time to take a look at some of the best posts from last week by members of the Texas Progressive Alliance. Here are the submissions: Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. Bay Area Houston says State Representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter ID
March 17, 2009 at 3:25 am
it’s time to take a look at some of the best posts from last week by members of the Texas Progressive Alliance. Here are the submissions: Vince of Capitol Annex took a new look at the latest creationist attack on science in Texas classrooms inBill Would Make “Strengths and Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law. Bay Area Houston says State Representative Wayne Christian has filed a bill that would scare Texas citizens from filing ethics complaints against elected officials. Off the Kuff takes a look at who would be affected by the voter ID
March 15, 2009 at 5:02 am
ific “theories”. Of course, this is nothing more than an attempt to get creationism in the classroom through the back door. But this silly bill could affect even more than the teaching of evolution (which is really a proven fact and not a theory). As Vince Leibowitz ofCapitol Annexpoints out, this bill could be used to question anything of a scientific nature, such as: •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;
March 14, 2009 at 11:45 am
[...] Read full story from Capitol Annex [...]
March 14, 2009 at 8:06 pm
[...] The bill inserts directly into the Texas Education Code a requirement that students learn “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories. It also forbids any governmental entity from stopping a teacher who offers just about any argument he or she wants against a scientific theory so long as the teacher portrays it as based on “scientific evidence and information.” The bill doesn’t mention evolution specifically, but that hardly matters — creationists have been trying for years to use such a requirement to force public schools to teach pseudoscientific “weaknesses” of evolution. The anti-evolution Discovery Institute specializes in promoting such arguments, even though mainstream scientists long ago debunked them. But this bill’s potential consequences go far beyond what students could learn about evolution. What if, for example, a teacher decides to teach students that there is scientific evidence that the earth really doesn’t revolve around the sun after all? The teacher could point to a Web site — http://www.fixedearth.com — that makes that very argument. He or she could also point to state Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, who in 2007 endorsed and circulated a memo to fellow Texas lawmakers that promoted the fixedearth.com Web site. Rep. Christian’s bill, if it passes, would prevent school district administrators from doing anything about the teacher and the nonsense he or she would be teaching. The current draft of new science curriculum standards, currently under consideration by the State Board of Education, leaves out the “strengths and weaknesses” requirement. The state board’s final vote on those standards — and another attempt by creationists to put “strengths and weaknesses” back in — is expected at the end of this month. But Rep. Christian’s legislation, if passed, is a legislative end run around the standards. It would make the entire process for adopting science standards a sham. Vince Leibowitz at Capitol Annex offers his take on the bill here. [...]
March 15, 2009 at 3:15 am
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March 15, 2009 at 7:02 am
[...] state law. This probably won’t go anywhere, but it’s never a bad idea to be vigilant. Vince has [...]
March 16, 2009 at 8:03 am
[...] 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. [...]
March 16, 2009 at 8:03 am
[...] 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. [...]
March 16, 2009 at 9:01 am
[...] 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. [...]
March 17, 2009 at 4:12 am
[...] 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. [...]
March 30, 2009 at 4:48 pm
[...] Bill Would Make “Strengths And Weaknesses” Teaching Of Evolution State Law Capitol Annex … revised curriculum standards for science–a battle that continues to rage although the SBOE dropped the controversial language … 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 … cripple the House Public Education Committee for several days worth of hearings if rightwingers on the committee lobby … related tags: house, john, mccain, republican national convention, republicans, state rep [...]