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Author Topic:   Sued for teaching evolution- Florida secondary education bill
Matt P
Member (Idle past 4775 days)
Posts: 106
From: Tampa FL
Joined: 03-18-2005


Message 1 of 2 (194119)
03-24-2005 4:31 PM


Hi all. Long time lurker, recent poster.
I've been made aware of a Florida bill regarding secondary education: H-837 (can be accessed from http://www.flsenate.gov). On the surface it sounds moderately reasonable, allowing for equal distribution of funds and protection against ridicule in classes. However, when you find out what the senator who introduced the bill thinks about education in general, you may start to get worried.
quote:
Republicans on the House Choice and Innovation Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to pass a bill that aims to stamp out leftist totalitarianism by dictator professors in the classrooms of Florida’s universities.
The Academic Freedom Bill of Rights, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, passed 8-to-2 despite strenuous objections from the only two Democrats on the committee.
The bill has two more committees to pass before it can be considered by the full House.
While promoting the bill Tuesday, Baxley said a university education should be more than one biased view by the professor, who as a dictator controls the classroom, as part of a misuse of their platform to indoctrinate the next generation with their own views.
...
Some professors say, ‘Evolution is a fact. I don’t want to hear about Intelligent Design (a creationist theory), and if you don’t like it, there’s the door,’ Baxley said, citing one example when he thought a student should sue.
...
Freedom is a dangerous thing, and you might be exposed to things you don’t want to hear, he said. Being a businessman, I found out you can be sued for anything. Besides, if students are being persecuted and ridiculed for their beliefs, I think they should be given standing to sue.
During the committee hearing, Baxley cast opposition to his bill as leftists struggling against mainstream society.
Quote above cut from http://www.alligator.org/pt2/050323freedom.php
Please see for full article.
Personally, I think someone read too much Jack Chick (see the "Big Daddy" tract). He's also appealing to similar arguments as those employed in the Scopes Trial by Bryan- that the public can decide what is taught in public universities.
So the broad issues are: is this legislation reasonable? How much accounting do public university professors have to the public vs. to science?

AdminSylas
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 2 (194490)
03-25-2005 5:46 PM


Thread copied to the Sued for teaching evolution- Florida secondary education bill thread in the Education and Creation/Evolution forum, this copy of the thread has been closed.

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