Oklahoma "Academic Freedom Act"-Antievolution Bill

New creationist bill in Oklahoma. This is clearly a variant of the failed bill in Florida. This bill explicately singles out evolution. Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education is a pro-science group in Oklahoma. Keen an eye out on that site since it will probably have the story soon.This message has been edited by Harlequin, 01-10-2006 08:07 PM

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

The really scary part is "The Legislature further finds that existing law does not expressly protect the right of students to hold positions regarding scientific views."It goes on to say: That is frightening.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

How far would this go?I assume this is geared towards Evolution but could also cover Geology and Cosmology (there may be others).Would you be able to be not failed in a Physics exam because you didn't accept that F=ma is an acceptable equation to use in the sort of idealised calculations you do in High School Physics exams (at least you did in my day ).

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I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Oh, they tried to cover that in their typical inept way. So the wording covers ANYTHING ANYONE can find controversial.It's a really bad joke and classic legislative nonsense.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

If the students can solve those problems, then that's evidence that they understand the physics. If they cannot solve the problems, then they do not understand the physics.Whether or not the students actually believe F=ma doesn't matter, and the belief question should not be on the examination.That's how I would interpret the requirements, if I were a teacher in Oklohoma. However, the actual wording is ambiguous enough that it isn't quite clear what it says.

Yes, given the way you phrase it I side with your position.There have been times when what I was being taught in class lagged behind what I understood was the current understanding of professionals. I'm sure that I wouldn’t agree with some of what would be presented to me in a nutrition class, for example.If I understand the course material, I should get the appropriate grade. Though understanding isn’t the same as regurgitation.

I think it is important to note that no one really should ever 'believe' that F=ma with regards to science and it is equally as scary to expect students to 'believe' in any scientific principle.You never know. There may be some other cool equation that explains force as F=ma+k where k is some measurement that effects force in a some weird circumstance. Then all those people who believed that F=ma would be in a bind. We should teach students that things like F=ma are the best description we have for physical phenomenon at the time and then this whole discussion of belief is moot.That this new law does not understand this is the scary thing. That this law assumes that belief is a part of science is what is frightening especially because it means we have people making laws who are not only clueless but in such a way that they are actually motivated to take action based on their cluelessness.

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No smoking signs by gas stations. No religion in the public square. The government should keep us from being engulfed in flames on earth, and that is pretty much it. -- Jon Stewart, The Daily Show