Missouri Republicans introduce creationist bill that could ‘eviscerate the teaching of biology’

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/21/missouri-republicans-introduce-creationist-bill-that-could-eviscerate-the-teaching-of-biology/



Missouri Republicans introduce creationist bill that could ‘eviscerate the teaching of biology’
By David Ferguson
Tuesday, January 21, 2014 13:19 EST

Missouri Republicans have drafted a bill that would allow parents to pull their children from science classes that are teaching the theory of evolution. According to the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), Missouri’s House Bill 1472 would effectively “eviscerate” the teaching of biology in the state.

NCSE’s deputy director Glenn Branch said, “House Bill 1472 would eviscerate the teaching of biology in Missouri.”

In a white paper written in 2008, Branch said, “Evolution inextricably pervades the biological sciences; it therefore pervades, or at any rate ought to pervade, biology education at the K–12 level. There simply is no alternative to learning about it; there is no substitute activity. A teacher who tries to present biology without mentioning evolution is like a director trying to produce Hamlet without casting the prince.”

HB 1472 is sponsored by Republican state Reps. Rick Brattin and Andy Koenig, who have authored pro-religion, anti-science legislation before, according to the NSCE.

[shenmue]

1. We must not legislate religion

It's unconstitutional.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. It sometimes seems to me that these rabid fundies

absolutely revel in their ignorance and feel compelled to perpetuate it.

[DetlefK]

3. That's not fair! Why should just Biology get that treatment?

How about Geology?
Continents form, because the Earth expands and its crust breaks apart.

How about Chemistry?
Let's distill the pure essence of life by distilling urine over and over again.

How about Physics?
Earth is flat and the other planets orbit it in epicycles.

How about Math?
No down-to-earth person would lay their trust in imaginary numbers.

How about Architecture?
That skyscraper is just another tower of Babylon and will attract God's wrath.

How about Literature?
Unified grammar and orthography is overrated. You oppress the kids' freedom to express themselves.

How about Sports?
It's totally unfair that my kid doesn't get preferential treatment.

How about Art?
That piece is intentionally that shoddy and boring! That's the message!

[longship]

4. A much better link.

RawStory has a horrible user interface, especially for mobile users.

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is the go-to site for this issue. They are the ones who helped science win in the Dover intelligent design (ID) case, Kitzmiller v. Dover, a 21st century Scopes case which killed ID.

Here is a much better link to this:
Antievolution Legislation in Missouri.

Sorry, as a rural, bandwidth limited INet user, I never go to RawStory.