Evolution Debate Led to Ouster, Texas Director of Science Curriculum Says

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: NYT/AP

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 30, 2007

AUSTIN, Tex., Nov. 29 (AP) — The state’s director of science curriculum said she resigned this month under pressure from officials who said she had given the appearance of criticizing the teaching of intelligent design.

The Texas Education Agency put the director, Chris Comer, on 30 days’ paid administrative leave in late October, resulting in what Ms. Comer called a forced resignation.

The move came shortly after she forwarded an e-mail message announcing a presentation by Barbara Forrest, an author of “Creationism’s Trojan Horse.” The book argues that creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Ms. Comer sent the message to several people and a few online communities.

Ms. Comer, who held her position for nine years, said she believed evolution politics were behind her ousting. “None of the other reasons they gave are, in and of themselves, firing offenses,” she said....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30resign.html

[brazos121200]

1. There are dark days down here in Texas

when the forces of religious intolerance and religious ideology can force the ouster of the state director of science curriculum. I sense the coming of a new dark age for us down here in Dixie. Texas has gone so far over to the right that what few liberals are left are muted and shuffled aside. The University of Texas has been "cleansed" of many liberal professors and replaced with right wing ideologues. Some day Texas will have to pay the price for turning its back of Science and progress in favor of pseudo-science and religious extremism.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Thanks for an on-the-scene report, brazos. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. not someday. now.

Name one regency U science major that would be hired by a growing bio-science concern.
Name one biotech company in Iowa or Illinois, working with better animal feed, with less waste, lower fertilizer costs.
Name one foreign company that will invest in new workers from Regency or as of now, any Texas school. They are cutting not their throats commercially, but dat dem of dose childrins.

[Jim__]

3. That would be funny, if it weren't so sad. - n/t

[Xipe Totec]

4. Giving the appearance of criticizing the teaching of intelligent design?

I hope she did a lot more than just give the appearance!

[DCKit]

5. "12 Apostles Madrassa Opens 10 New Acadamy's Across TX and FL"

My heart bleeds for the children.

[Faygo Kid]

6. Can't Texas go back to being an independent republic?

Hasn't Texas given the rest of us in the USA enough grief? Is it at all necessary to list the abysmal record of harm from this state? Bush? DeLay? The Cowboys?

Now this?

[tbyg52]

14. Please see post #11. nt

[progressoid]

7. Science Schmience

Every thing we need is in the Bible. I heard that on the radio last night.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. really! Hey, it must be true, then!

i vote we replace all books with that one good one. History, science, math, all of them.

[bahrbearian]

8. Evolution of Man

[ladjf]

10. The human race is turning out to be too dumb to survive. (nt)

[ladjf]

9. Texas is already the "Execution Capital" of the U.S.

They are also in the grasp of both the Oiligarchy and the Right-wing Religious Nuts. Who would want to risk raising a family there? Since they seem to want it some much, I think that they should be allowed to secede from the U.S.

[tbyg52]

11. Sigh....

There are some of us who are stuck here, and we are doing the best that we can. Please keep in mind that Texas is a collection of people, not a single entity. I don't like it here either, but I *am* here and cannot currently help it.

[ladjf]

12. I fully understand your position. Perhaps, I should have qualified

my harsh comments about Texas. The truth is that geographically speaking, Texas is a beautiful place to live. And any state is going to have its share of wonderful people who shouldn't be judged by the behavior of others.

If I were a parent living in Texas with young children attending the public schools, I would have no choice but to tell my children that the school system is wrong to teach you that the Earth has been in existence for only 3 to 5 thousand years and that the "Theory of Evolution" is wrong.

Actually, the "Creationist" theory is so profoundly erroneous, it will soon melt away from it's own stupidity.

[tbyg52]

17. Thanks. I agree with everything you said except

That anything will melt away from its own stupidity. I *wish*, but what are you gonna do about that darn human nature....? ;)

Edited to say:

Here's a link to commentary that I also posted on the Texas forum:
http://atheistexperience.blogspot.com/2007/11/teas-science-curriculum-director-forced.html

[leftist_not_liberal]

16. My Quick note to the TEA

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/tea/contact.html

On behalf of Chris Comer, whom I am sure is far too professional to say it, I would like to offer your powers that be a hearty FUCK YOU for pushing your politicized religious bullshit in science curricula.

You make me ashamed to be a Texan even as I am very proud to have actually learned some things from my science educators who were practicing their craft years before the "Wedge document" came in to existence as you KKKristian Krazies plot to dumb down the nation at a time where we need scientific acumen more than ever.

[DuaneBidoux]

18. It's bizarro land down here. Nobody at U of Texas or Texas A&M in any medical, biology, or any...

other related field is taught anything except strict observable science, and no kid enters these universities into these programs believing creationism.

The kids most hurt are those who come from unsuspecting families with parents who are not well educated enough to question their own kids curriculum.

I am in the NASA area, there are many republicans in this area, but also many highly skilled technology professionals. It is almost like there is this weird split personality--they vote republican and then tell their kids to ignore the mythological views presented by the people they elect. In fact it is almost like they are an entirely different kind of republican. I can certainly tell you that there are no republican candidates pandering to these republicans.

However, I have looked at the junior level biology text from my sons HS (Clear Lake High). From what I can tell there is absolutely no mention in the book about creationism except for one paragraph at the beginning of the section on human origins that says "many different religions have many different views of where humans came from...the scientific view however is that humans evolved from a series of simpler and earlier lifeforms."

The book goes into unflinching evolutionary theory in a fairly good level for that grade. Nobody in THESE schools wants their kids being refused admission to a good university.