dwise writes:
What? Nobody was monitoring this one? The Governor ignored this one and it automatically became a law.
Likely the good governor ignored this one on purpose so as to balance out the educational agenda regarding evolution vs creationism. It's about time some fairness and balance should be guaranteed in the educational arena, unlike EvC where members like me simply get banned from science debates so as for evolution to be the required science agenda debated/discussed. Only non-effective, easily refuted creationists allowed in the science fora.
"Monkey bill" enacted in Tennessee
dwise writes:
Governor Bill Haslam allowed Tennessee's House Bill 368 to become law without his signature on April 10, 2012, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal (April 10, 2012). The law encourages teachers to present the "scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses" of topics that arouse "debate and disputation" such as "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning."
Pray tell, Dwise, what's wrong with presenting strengths and scientific weaknesses of both creationism and evolution?
dwise writes:
This is the first bill in the Governor's 15 months in office that he allowed to be passed by being ignored.
Kudos to him. Now the students can learn both POVs so as to make up their minds rationally and objectively.
dwise writes:
The bill ... er,
law, purports to defend a teacher from repercussions for presenting negative evidence of certain scientific ideas. The bill ... er,
law, only specifies science classes to be subject to this law, not other classes. The law specifically targets evolution, climate change, and human cloning. The sponsor of the bill, the aforementioned former state senator, works for a very specifically religious organization. Furthermore, the only "negative evidence of said scientific ideas" can be found amongst creationists and IDists. And a scientist and wife of a high school science teacher interviewed on the afore-linked-to NPR program, "Which Way, LA?", pointed out that teachers have always been allowed to present opposing
scientific ideas into their classrooms, so that law is totally unnecessary. The only purpose that the law could possibly serve would be to allow teachers to bring in
religious creationist materials.
It only applies to science because like EvC, science is the only subject that is not fair and balanced ideologically. Now, at least students and their parents are guaranteed fair an balanced science education to be taught.
Edited by Buzsaw, : Tidy up spelling, etc
BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The Immeasurable Present Eternally Extends the Infinite Past And Infinitely Consumes The Eternal Future.
Someone wisely said something ;ike, "Before fooling with a fool, make sure the fool is a fool."