With State Board Of Education Set To Take Final Vote On Science Standards, Its Chair Comes Under Fire For Endorsing Book Calling Evolution Supporters Athiests, Monsters, And Morons

Less than a week before the State Board of Education takes its final vote on new science curriculum standards–which were stripped of controversial “strengths and weaknesses” language in January, the chair of that body is coming under heavy criticism for endorsing a new book calling those who support the teaching of evolution, including more than 11,000 members of the clergy, “atheists,” “monsters,” and “morons.”

The book, “Sowing Atheism:  The National Academy of Sciences’ Sinister Scheme to Teach Our Children They’re Descended from Reptiles” can be downloaded for free on the Internet.

Here are a few passages from the book SBOE Chair Don McLeroy (R-College Station) calls “unique” and “insightful.”

•“The hierarchy of the (National Academy of Sciences) has stolen true science; they are sacrificing our children to their atheism, and at the same time, destroying our children’s faith in God.” (p. 27)

•“The obvious problem here is that it is simply not possible to be a Christian in any meaningful sense of the word, and at the same time, embrace the tenets of atheistic evolution.” (p. 54)

•Regarding parents who support teaching their children about evolution: “What kind of monster parents teach their children that they’re descended from rodents and reptiles?” (p. 66)

•Regarding pastors who have signed on to the pro-science Clergy Letter Project: “In my judgment, only morons – more than 11,500 morons in this case – could sign a letter maintaining that the ‘timeless truths of the Bible’ are compatible with the billions of unpredictable aberrations of evo -atheism. What do these apostate morons celebrate at their Sunday services, the lies about humanity’s origins told by Moses, Jesus, and Paul?” (pp. 57-58)

Among groups denouncing McLeroy’s raving endorsement of a book that sounds more like raving lunacy than sound science is the Texas Freedom Network. Its President, Kathy Miller, noted:

“Maybe Chairman McLeroy doesn’t realize how deeply offensive those insults are to people who want our schoolchildren to get a 21st-century education their science classrooms,” Miller said. “But it’s shocking that he would endorse a book that viciously attacks the faith of people who simply disagree with him about sound science.”

The State Board of Education is set to take a final vote on proposed new public school science curriculum standards next week.

According to TFN, evolution opponents are insisting that the standards include a requirement that students learn “strengths and weaknesses” of evolution. In 2003 they used that requirement to attack passages on evolution in proposed new science textbooks. McLeroy and other evolution opponents on the board have said they will do the same when new science textbooks are adopted in 2011.