Ignorance And Foolishness In Louisiana

From the Advocate:

A Senate panel approved a bill Thursday to revamp the way evolution and other topics are taught in public schools despite charges it could inject biblical topics into science classes.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Ben Nevers, sponsor of the bill, denied that his proposal was a bid to promote creationism — the view that life began about 6,000 years ago in a process described in the Bible’s Book of Genesis.

Nevers and other backers said the bill would promote wide-open classroom discussions that students are hungry to hear.

Opponents said that, if the Legislature approves the bill, it will make Louisiana a target of national ridicule as an outpost of anti-evolution views.

Whenever the Louisiana Legislature is in session, we the citizens, risk having mischief and foolishness thrust upon us. We're much better off when they're at home.

Of course, this bill will make Louisiana the object of ridicule. If the students are hungry to discuss faith theories of how life began, then they can do that outside school science classrooms. Here's an opportunity for the churches to seize the moment. All that's required of the teachers, if the subjects come up, is for them to say that creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories.

More times than I want to, I have had discussions with people who should know better, but who can't seem to wrap their heads around the fact that there is a difference between what we believe by faith and what we know because scientific methods lead us to that knowledge.

The revamped bill would require the state to assist teachers, principals and others in encouraging students to pursue “critical thinking skills, logical analysis and open and objective discussion of scientific theories.”

You see. They don't get it. The bill will be encouraging students to pursue ignorance. Is that what you want from your education system?

The legislation would allow teachers to use approved materials that supplement school science textbooks in any examination of those theories.

What, indeed, will the supplementary materials contain? I shudder to think. Who will write them? The clergy? Surely not scientists in good standing in their communities.

Nevers said teachers need wider latitude to discuss scientific theories, especially because textbooks are used in seven- to 10-year cycles.

I don't know what the 7 to 10 year cycles have to do with this bill, but I'd say to Nevers, CREATIONISM AND INTELLIGENT DESIGN ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC THEORIES!

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana creationism bill in 1987. Critics said Thursday that Nevers’ bill would spark another costly lawsuit.

So. All of this foolishness seems to be nothing more than posturing, because the state will surely face a lawsuit and will then have to spend our money to defend a stupid law that should never have been passed in the first place, and they will, in the end, likely lose once again. Is there no one in the legislature who will stand up and introduce sanity into the process?

Oh, and I almost forgot.

The legislation, which is a substitute for Senate Bill 561, was first sought by the Louisiana Family Forum, which describes itself as a group that promotes traditional family values.

Would you like to know the mission of the Louisiana Family Forum? I'm going to tell you anyway.

Our Mission
To persuasively present biblical principles in the centers of influence on issues affecting the family through research, communication and networking.

* Persuasively: in a manner that compels a change in thinking which results in action.
* Biblical principles: foundational values derived from transcendent scriptural truth.
* Issues affecting the family: factors that strengthen or diminish family structure, nurture or sustenance.
* Centers of influence: church, business/industry, government, media, arts, law, medicine and academia.
* Research, communication, networking: compiling and evaluating data from the most reliable sources; developing well-reasoned arguments disseminated through publications, broadcasts and speaking; connecting churches, pro-family organizations and influential professionals.

There you have it. Those are the folks who want to influence what is taught in the science classrooms of public schools. Experts all, I'm sure.