Teh Stupid is spreading - Conn. school board member rejects evolution

[NewJeffCT]

Haddam School Board Member Rejects Evolution

HADDAM —
Chester Harris, newly elected to the Region 17 school board, is a Republican with a standard conservative outlook: He distrusts government bureaucracy, believes in fiscal restraint and thinks kids today have too many advantages and too few responsibilities.

But it is his answer to fundamental questions about the origins of life that sets him apart.

Harris, 53, rejects evolution. To him, the idea that humans and apes share a common ancestor takes "a whole lot more faith than believing there was a creator who set all these things in motion and allows us to operate under free will."

About three weeks ago he met with several high school science teachers and school administrators in the district, which serves the woodsy, Connecticut Valley towns of Haddam and Killingworth.

http://www.courant.com/news/education/hc-evolution-haddam-school-boar.artmar15,0,4249837.story

Thankfully, it's only one member in one town.

[NeedleCast]

1. Should be some simple rules for joining a school board

and one of them should be a fundamental grasp of the scientific method.

[NewJeffCT]

3. I should write a letter

and ask that the teaching of the Flying Spaghetti Monster being taught in schools as well.

[madrchsod]

2. we have a republican running for governor in illinois that wants...

creationism taught in public schools...he has a very good chance in winning.

[sakabatou]

4. Even he even tries to, put creationism in schools, he can be sued.

[NewJeffCT]

5. True, but if it makes its way to the SCotUS

Would the RW activists there suddenly grow a conscience?

[sakabatou]

6. I don't think it'd make it to SCotUS

Edwards v. Aguilard case history would stop it before it got there.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. He May Win, But He Won't Get His Way

I wouldn't worry about his silly desire. He can win, but won't be able to get that into the schools.
GAC

[madrchsod]

17. ya i know...the schools have bigger problems than brady

[rurallib]

9. which one is that? I watch from over the border in Iowa

and I need a scorecard.

[madrchsod]

16. brady...he`s a big fav out here in the republican hell hole of ronnyland

[Javaman]

7. The slow slide toward a new dark ages. nt

[rurallib]

10. I wonder what people are thinking when they elect people to power positions

who stated purpose is to undermine the system?
Well a majority voted for this idiot

[NewJeffCT]

15. Did he announce his views,though?

Most school board campaigns are pretty quiet - a few people put up signs in yards and the like, but it's not like there are televised debates, saturation advertising on TV, etc. Most people vote the party line, but he may have had some help from a local church or two having a GOTV effort.

[Johonny]

11. I don't understand this article

How does not believing in evolution set him apart from the standard conservative outlook?

[progressoid]

12. No, it's not just one member in one town. They are a plague spreading across our nation.

Soon he'll vote to fire all the teachers to fix the problems he helped create.

[awoke_in_2003]

13. what i never got...

is how these people are offended to think we evolved from apes, but have no problem believing we were created from a pile of dirt.

[piratefish08]

14. it was magic dirt.

glad i could help.

[Zoeisright]

18. Looks like evolution rejected this assclown.

It is possible to devolve, Harris, you stupid fucking piece of shit.

[DavidDvorkin]

19. Takes a lot more faith than believing there was a creator ...

That's a big part of the problem: the belief by so many people that evolution is a religion, something people believe in, that it takes faith.

The principles of science escape them.

[NeedleCast]

20. The Scientific Method is pretty much a thing of the past

except for scientists.

I'm curious as to why more creationists don't argue against the theory of gravity...after all, like evolution it's (sarcasm) just a theory.

[Blue Owl]

21. How nice of him

to impose his own idea of reality over the decades of combined international research from the scientific field.

Chester Harris, please share with us how we can limit our thinking, so we can all live in your little bubble.

:sarcasm: