The Louisiana House of Representatives voted 94-3 Wednesday to pass a bill that would grant teachers and students the freedom to challenge and examine critically the tenets of Darwinism in the classroom.
The measure, which is expected to cruise easily through the upper house, is the latest measure in a series of “Academic Freedom” bills that have swept across several states, including Missouri, Alabama, and Michigan. A similar measure was also under review in Florida earlier this year before stalling in the state’s legislature.
Lawmakers say that the efforts to pass the bills are a response to allegations that teachers and students who share views contradicting or challenging the tenets of Darwinism in the classroom are marginalized, discriminated, or ostracized.
Louisiana’s version of the bill, the “Science Education Act,” will help to supply teachers with supplementary textbooks that will give greater freedom in the classroom to analyze and critique existing scientific theories concerning evolution.
Supporters of the bill said that the measure would be an important step in securing safe academic environments where “critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories” would be welcome.
“This bill promotes good science education by protecting the academic freedom of science teachers,” said Dr. John West, Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs at Discovery Institute, in a statement.
Detractors of the bill, however, claim that the recent measure is nothing more than a masked agenda to install religion in schools.
In a statement, Americans United said that it would not rule out legal action against the bill on the grounds of violating the separation of church and state.
“Americans United and other groups contend that [the] ‘supplemental materials’ (textbooks) are likely to be anti-evolution books, DVDs and other items produced by fundamentalist Christian ministries,” the group said.
“The measure is being pushed by the Louisiana Family Forum, the Discovery Institute and other Religious Right forces,” the group added.
West, however, denies this assertion, noting that the language of the bill is clear, objective, and fair.
“Critics who claim the bill promotes religion instead of science either haven’t read the bill or are putting up a smokescreen to divert attention from the censorship that has been going on,” he said.
“The proposed Louisiana law expressly states in Section 1C that it ‘shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion,’” he continued.
“Americans United conveniently neglects to mention that section of the bill,” he said.
In total, at least six states have considered passing "Academic Freedom" legislation this year, according to the Discovery Institute.
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The academic bill of rights resolution sailed through the georgia with a sweeping of vote.the system of fundamental forces and natural constaints essentially requires that life. the bills are a response to allegations that teachers and students who share views contradicting or challenging. thank you
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danica
<a href="http://www.treatmentcenters.org/louisiana">Louisiana Treatment Centers</a>
"What arguments from Behe, for instance, are busted flushes? "
Oh, I don't know, the bacteria flaggella, the blood clotting cascade system, and on and on Basically all the instances which he espouses are IC (Ireducible Complex) and which were show in Dove rin 2005 (3 years ago already) to be, well, not quite so IC after all. I have been saying to you for quite some time HAWK that though Behe's arguements sound legit to most laymen, they don't work to well under critique. Here, review this 9 part series, only 1 1/2 hour long, and research more on them if you'd like. I know they have some archieved on Panda's Thumb.org as well.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PaHcsGzyp4A
Steve,
Have a great weekend. I suppose we have pretty much exhausted this thread and won't be back. Sure to catch up with you elsewhere, however.
Your banded iron formations sound interesting. I do miean that as I do have an interest, to some extent, in geology, as an engineer.
Here's a couple sites to look at for your studies and consideration; maybe they're busted flushes. The truth will finally prevail one way or the other.
http://www.icr.org/article/203/
http://www.halos.com/
God Bless
Hawk
Been there, done it, see other forum.
I've just added this discussion to the article:
"The Video - Louisiana Coalition for Science - is afraid of!"
http://www.jeremiahfilms.com/released/news/062008b.html
I would define a busted flush as an arguement that really no longer holds water, it has had its time, it maybe held sway for a long time, it maybe had great influence but now, well best to say its time has past and the world has moved on, its normally at this satge that those who held that point of view and once had power through it start to use the "balanced enqiry etc.." arguement.
I propbably would enjoy that book but I have a reading list as long as your arm...I'm really enjoying studying / reading on "banded iron formations" at this time, they testify to the time when free oxygen levels started to rise (due to bacteria) in the atmospshere of the Earth.
Its all in the rocks.
Steve
The LA legislation conforms to Darwin's statement, not that Darwin's statement was the cause for the legislation. The philosophy behind it is pretty much what an open academic environment is all about, or at least should be. You used the term "busted flushes" so it is only natural to determine what a "busted flush" is in your view. Sorry that you took my previous question so hard
God Bless
Hawk
Steve
You'd probably enjoy reading Nigel Brush's The Limitations of Scientific Truth. He earned his PhD at UCLA and is an assistant professor of geology at Asland University in Ohio. He has done archaeological, geological and environmental work around the world.
All you asked me was if I had any problems with it, and I told you what I honestly thought, who said I was talking about Behe? I was just commenting on what I have over many years observed.
What I did find interesting is the desire to use quotes of Darwin as if they are some sort of holy scripture, its not a view I hold too myself.......
Steve
Flagged myself
What arguments from Behe, for instance, are busted flushes?
P.s Yeah, I do have a problem with that quote because some people hide behind it when their arguament is a busted flush............
Thanks for the reccomendations, but my reading list is full with books for my geosciences degree, I'm doing it not just talking about it.
:-)
Steve
RAVI ZACHARIAS - ATHEIST KILLER EXTRAORDINAIRE....
http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Watch.aspx
Steve,
I can understand why you gave up the ministry with the overwhelming barrage of evolutionist explanations (anywhere from excellent to just so stories) from a field that purports to be totally factual, [assuming that's how you saw things]
That is a problem with creationism and the truth of scripture when facing the scientific stories of the day.
The fact is, there are many qualified scientists educated to the PhD level who have been fully exposed to the exclusive claims of Darwinism in their formal education; yet these scientists were not convinced of the claims and interpretations for Darwinism and accepted ID as a better explanation for certain aspects of life (even in the face of firing or ostracism). It is reasonable for a layperson to conclude that there is validity to ID and there are profound shortcomings with Darwimism.
I suggest Nigel Brush's The Limitations of Scientific Truth if you haven't read it already. It places a proper perspective of science with the rest of the body of knowledge. Brush is a Christian scientist and applies an even handed analysis from God's perspective.
Behe's The Edge of Evolution places an excellent balance to the state of Darwinism and ID at this time without the dogmas of naturalism or supernaturalism impossed.
Here is an excellent link that addresses ID Theory and the Discovery Institutes position of science education.
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=1453
Please note the statement attributed to Charles Darwin at the beginning pages of this pdf file and tell me if you have any problems with it.
God Bless
Hawk
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