Science wins in Texas!............for now.
by Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy
Incredible news out of Texas: creationists have lost a big battle to destroy science education in the Lone Star State!
The State Board of Education voted on the science standards — the list of basic scientific knowledge students should have at various grade levels, like knowing that atoms are the basic building blocks of matter, the Earth goes around the Sun, and — say — evolution is the basic and most fundamental aspect upon which all of modern biology is based.
Creationists on the board (and there are many) tried to water down the standards by creating a phony baloney "strengths and weaknesses" amendment, a totally bogus and arbitrary rule that says that teachers have to point out where a theory has faults. They did this specifically to weaken the teaching of evolution in biology classes. They don’t actually care if the students get a solid education on the fact of evolution, they only care to tear down real science and replace it with Biblical literalism.
And they failed. According to the fantastic science-based Texas Freedom Network, which has been live-blogging the vote, the creationist amendment lost in a 7-7 vote. They could not add the amendment without an actual victory, so the tie means the garbage amendment goes down.
But before you dance in the streets, have a mind that the vote was tied 7-7. In other words, half the people on the Texas State School Board of Education thought it was fine and dandy that evolution, a foundation of modern science and shown to be fact beyond reasonable doubt, be taught as being weak and flawed.
So once again, we see that creationists have lost, but we also know that they will never, ever admit defeat. Remember, their entire outlook on life is not based on reality, but dogma, and so they cannot rest, cannot stop, without shattering their whole worldview.
So as always, this is not over, despite this advance. It’s a victory for the students of Texas and for reality, but the war will rage on.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again (and I’m not the first): the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Stay sharp, Texas. They’ll regroup. Bet on it.
[UPDATE: TFN notes that a final vote will come Friday on all the standards, so even this chapter of the battle isn’t over yet. Stay Tuned.]
Incredible news out of Texas: creationists have lost a big battle to destroy science education in the Lone Star State!
The State Board of Education voted on the science standards — the list of basic scientific knowledge students should have at various grade levels, like knowing that atoms are the basic building blocks of matter, the Earth goes around the Sun, and — say — evolution is the basic and most fundamental aspect upon which all of modern biology is based.
Creationists on the board (and there are many) tried to water down the standards by creating a phony baloney "strengths and weaknesses" amendment, a totally bogus and arbitrary rule that says that teachers have to point out where a theory has faults. They did this specifically to weaken the teaching of evolution in biology classes. They don’t actually care if the students get a solid education on the fact of evolution, they only care to tear down real science and replace it with Biblical literalism.
And they failed. According to the fantastic science-based Texas Freedom Network, which has been live-blogging the vote, the creationist amendment lost in a 7-7 vote. They could not add the amendment without an actual victory, so the tie means the garbage amendment goes down.
But before you dance in the streets, have a mind that the vote was tied 7-7. In other words, half the people on the Texas State School Board of Education thought it was fine and dandy that evolution, a foundation of modern science and shown to be fact beyond reasonable doubt, be taught as being weak and flawed.
So once again, we see that creationists have lost, but we also know that they will never, ever admit defeat. Remember, their entire outlook on life is not based on reality, but dogma, and so they cannot rest, cannot stop, without shattering their whole worldview.
So as always, this is not over, despite this advance. It’s a victory for the students of Texas and for reality, but the war will rage on.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again (and I’m not the first): the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Stay sharp, Texas. They’ll regroup. Bet on it.
[UPDATE: TFN notes that a final vote will come Friday on all the standards, so even this chapter of the battle isn’t over yet. Stay Tuned.]
-
Comment by James on March 26, 2009 at 2:39pm -
Definitely great news for the time being! However, It really in rather sad that the vote was that close.
-
Comment by Nelson on March 26, 2009 at 2:45pm -
agreed. the future of 4.6 million Texas public school students hangs on the idiocy of a few people who choose to cling to a bronze age mythology. very sad.
-
Comment by Dave G on March 26, 2009 at 3:52pm -
Less a victory and more of a holding action. Supposedly additional votes have already been called for. They won't give up until we're back in caves, wailing for mercy when lighting strikes nearby.
-
Comment by Chelle on March 26, 2009 at 3:56pm -
7-7 Wow! That's nuts and are there only 14 people making this decision? How do you get on the board? Critical thinking clearly isn't a prerequisite.
-
Comment by Dave G on March 26, 2009 at 4:01pm
-
Not only is critical thinking not a pre-requisite, they've been actively trying to eradicate all non-faith-based thought in the board members.
-
Comment by Nelson on March 26, 2009 at 4:02pm
-
this says that it's a 15 member elected board but then i wonder why the vote was only 7-7. maybe someone abstained.
-
Comment by Nelson on March 26, 2009 at 4:03pm
-
but then when has being able to think critically been a prerequisite for any public office, right? sigh.
-
Comment by Dave G on March 26, 2009 at 4:03pm
-
Or was absent.
-
Comment by Nelson on March 26, 2009 at 4:05pm
-
yeah, maybe. seems to me that if a person was absent during such an important vote then they were absent on purpose because they didn't want vote. they made sure they weren't there.
-
Comment by Dave G on March 26, 2009 at 4:26pm
-
I concur.
What's new today
Forum
Why do atheists ask for so much proof to believe in God?
Started by Mercedes in Welcome to Think Atheist. Last reply by archaeopteryx 5 minutes ago. 355 Replies 0 Likes
Blog Posts
How Jesus' Views on Marriage Proves Yahweh's Laws are NOT Absolute OR Jesus is Mistaken
Posted by Cathy Cooper on May 17, 2013 at 10:00am 3 Comments 0 Likes
Events
Services we love
Check out our new mobile/tablet version of Think Atheist! www.ThinkAtheist.com/m
© 2013 Created by Morgan Matthew.
You need to be a member of Think Atheist to add comments!
Join Think Atheist