TN, 5 Others States Introduce Bills To Prohibit Teaching Evolution

[Madeline]

House Bill 368 (PDF), introduced in the Tennessee House of Representatives on February 9, 2011, is the sixth antievolution bill introduced in a state legislature in 2011, and the first introduced in Tennessee since 2007. The bill, if enacted, would require state and local educational authorities to "assist teachers to find effective ways to present the science curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies" and permit teachers to "help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught."

The only examples provided of "controversial" theories are "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning." The sole sponsor of HB 368 is Bill Dunn (R-District 16), who, according to Project Vote Smart, answered yes to the question “Should Tennessee require its public schools to teach evolution as theory rather than scientific fact?” in 1996 — the same year in which the Tennessee legislature considered a bill (SB 3229/HB 2972) that would have provided for the suspension or dismissal of any teacher or administrator who taught evolution as a fact rather than a theory.

Antievolution legislation in Tennessee | NCSE

So, this used car dealer knows enough to prohibit teaching certain aspects of science? No wonder this nation continues to fall behind others on the level of science mastery of its students.

Legally required stupidity...what will they think of next?

Your reaction?

 

[Madeline]

 

[The Joe]

I think the combination of believing in global warming and thinking man is his own god does more to bastardise the "level of science mastery". If you weren't so closed minded, you would see that evolution exists even with the inclusion of intelligent design. Maybe liberals should had reached across the aisle and showed some tolerance in allowing the mentioning of intelligent design in class. Had this been done, I feel that it is safe to say that this bill wouldn't exist. After all, without God, you have no rights.

 

[Madeline]

I think the combination of believing in global warming and thinking man is his own god does more to bastardise the "level of science mastery". If you weren't so closed minded, you would see that evolution exists even with the inclusion of intelligent design. Maybe liberals should had reached across the aisle and showed some tolerance in allowing the mentioning of intelligent design in class. Had this been done, I feel that it is safe to say that this bill wouldn't exist. After all, without God, you have no rights.

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

 

[AllieBaba]

The conflict arises when retarded teachers insist on teaching evolution as a theory which explains the existence of life on earth, and when they treat some theories of descent as *fact*.

Our education system is crap. I was just saying today that I find it offensive that VALENTINE'S DAY is such a huge issue at the school...the kids are hyped up for weeks over it; while I see the inherent usefulness of learning to address and distribute cards (I guess) to your classmates, that, on TOP of the stupid sugar blow out in the afternoon, makes me just want to pull them out and homeschool them. Except I can't teach kids for crap. Still, I'm dreading tonight. And this morning was a nightmare.

So we spend all this energy on VALENTINE'S DAY but the educators can't educate themselves and the kids properly about evolution and it's place in the world. They have to make it into this big deal that explains away all religious theory, and that's just wrong. It's not the place of our schools to teach that, and if that's what they're going to insist on teaching, then guess what? They are going to be shut down and prevented from saying anything about it at all.

Morons.

 

[Anachronism]

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

Maddie,

Likewise, what gives the school the right to teach my child (if I had any) that a Scientific THEORY called Evolution is the only acceptable version of how the world came to be?

Personally, I like what the high school in my hometown did..... They taught the THEORY (unproven, scientific belief) and also included a small bit of curriculum documenting that there are other THEORIES out there which are contridictory to the THEORY of Evolution relative to how the world and humanity came to be.

My problem is when you have these school systems teaching Evolution as SCIENTIFIC LAW instead of THEORY.

 

[AllieBaba]

Exactly.

My 7 y.o. son comes home telling me which animals today came from which dinosaurs.

And he's not talking about things like crocs and white sharks; he's being taught that warm blooded furry creatures have descended straight from brontosauri (brontosauruses??? lol). I don't think his teacher believes that; but she's teaching a curriculum and that's the curriculum. We're in a charter school, with a natural resources focus, that works hand in hand with a PALEO project in this area. PALEO...they dig up bones around here. They want to make it a tourist trade. They want to join with the school to do it.

Literally. They want to make a big Paleo/School complex where the kids go to school in the same geographical site that the Paleo operates. They want to share funds, participate in the school.

While I am proud of the beauty and interest of our geographic location and like having the paleo project here; it is endlessly fascinating and fun; I don't want my child being taught things that are MEANT to challenge their faith. I know the guy who runs the Paleo. I know what his agenda is. I have heard him opine on the concept of God. I don't want his agenda taught to the kids. His agenda is to *educate* kids out of faith, and that is NOT the job of the schools.

 

[Madeline]

I cannot believe we are going to debate the validity of evolution AGAIN. Will you religious wingnuts PLEASE confine your reality-denial to the home and the Sunday School classroom?

I do not get WTF the pay off could possibly be for religious people to raise kids who are scientific nitwits. I seriously don't...but whatever, get your paws offa the public schools.

 

[rightwinger]

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

Maddie,

Likewise, what gives the school the right to teach my child (if I had any) that a Scientific THEORY called Evolution is the only acceptable version of how the world came to be?

Personally, I like what the high school in my hometown did..... They taught the THEORY (unproven, scientific belief) and also included a small bit of curriculum documenting that there are other THEORIES out there which are contridictory to the THEORY of Evolution relative to how the world and humanity came to be.

My problem is when you have these school systems teaching Evolution as SCIENTIFIC LAW instead of THEORY.

Because scientific FACTS support the theory. Just like they support the THEORY of gravity

Which scientific FACTS do you have to support the THEORY of creationism?

Are you OK with schools teaching there are no scientific facts supporting creationism? How about that scientific FACTS do not support the Bible?

 

[Ravi]

More dumbing down of students...pretty soon we'll look like a backwater on the level of Pakistan.

 

[Two Thumbs]

House Bill 368 (PDF), introduced in the Tennessee House of Representatives on February 9, 2011, is the sixth antievolution bill introduced in a state legislature in 2011, and the first introduced in Tennessee since 2007. The bill, if enacted, would require state and local educational authorities to "assist teachers to find effective ways to present the science curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies" and permit teachers to "help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught."

The only examples provided of "controversial" theories are "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning." The sole sponsor of HB 368 is Bill Dunn (R-District 16), who, according to Project Vote Smart, answered yes to the question “Should Tennessee require its public schools to teach evolution as theory rather than scientific fact?” in 1996 — the same year in which the Tennessee legislature considered a bill (SB 3229/HB 2972) that would have provided for the suspension or dismissal of any teacher or administrator who taught evolution as a fact rather than a theory.

Antievolution legislation in Tennessee | NCSE

So, this used car dealer knows enough to prohibit teaching certain aspects of science? No wonder this nation continues to fall behind others on the level of science mastery of its students.

Legally required stupidity...what will they think of next?

Your reaction?

My reaction is that you are over reacting.

It is "The theory of evolution" not the fact of evolution. The reason it's a theory is b/c there are vast gaps in this theory.

And it's not like they are opting for the creation myth. Even though dna testing gives the basic of the myth some creadance.

 

[Two Thumbs]

I think the combination of believing in global warming and thinking man is his own god does more to bastardise the "level of science mastery". If you weren't so closed minded, you would see that evolution exists even with the inclusion of intelligent design. Maybe liberals should had reached across the aisle and showed some tolerance in allowing the mentioning of intelligent design in class. Had this been done, I feel that it is safe to say that this bill wouldn't exist. After all, without God, you have no rights.

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

What gives you the right to force a theory as fact on my children?

Oh and

States rights come into play in schools. Even with the useless DoE.

 

[Immanuel]

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

Maddie,

Likewise, what gives the school the right to teach my child (if I had any) that a Scientific THEORY called Evolution is the only acceptable version of how the world came to be?

Personally, I like what the high school in my hometown did..... They taught the THEORY (unproven, scientific belief) and also included a small bit of curriculum documenting that there are other THEORIES out there which are contridictory to the THEORY of Evolution relative to how the world and humanity came to be.

My problem is when you have these school systems teaching Evolution as SCIENTIFIC LAW instead of THEORY.

Because scientific FACTS support the theory. Just like they support the THEORY of gravity

Which scientific FACTS do you have to support the THEORY of creationism?

Are you OK with schools teaching there are no scientific facts supporting creationism? How about that scientific FACTS do not support the Bible?

As pointed out earlier in the thread the facts support the evolution of a species. We can all see that dogs and cats have "evolved" through the years, what we can't see and is not a proven fact, is that a dog becomes a whale or an ape becomes a man or the ancestor of an ape becomes man in one branch and ape in another.

I think the idea of disallowing the teaching of evolution is a bad idea. However, that is not what the quote in the OP states is being done here. Evolution should most definitely be taught at least until there is something that proves it to be wrong... not saying that will ever happen, mind you.

Where I always have a problem is when teachers try to teach the Theory of Evolution as an answer to how life began on earth. When they begin to teach Abiogensis as fact, I balk.

Immie

 

[Madeline]

O for the love of Mike, if you lose your car keys, Immie, do you jump to the conclusion that a leprechan stole them? Or do you keep looking for your keys?

The holes in the record of evolution are not proof that God exists.

 

[Madeline]

I think the combination of believing in global warming and thinking man is his own god does more to bastardise the "level of science mastery". If you weren't so closed minded, you would see that evolution exists even with the inclusion of intelligent design. Maybe liberals should had reached across the aisle and showed some tolerance in allowing the mentioning of intelligent design in class. Had this been done, I feel that it is safe to say that this bill wouldn't exist. After all, without God, you have no rights.

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

What gives you the right to force a theory as fact on my children?

Oh and

States rights come into play in schools. Even with the useless DoE.

No state has the legal right to violate the constitution. Teaching public school children that God exists does EXACTLY that.

 

[R.D.]

Because scientific FACTS support the theory. Just like they support the THEORY of gravity

Who're you kidding? Schools teach gravity is a theory
?


If they had the facts to back them they wouldn't be theories then would they?

 

[Ravi]

Because scientific FACTS support the theory. Just like they support the THEORY of gravity

Who're you kidding? Schools teach gravity is a theory
?


If they had the facts to back them they wouldn't be theories then would they?

Everyone knows that things don't fall down when you drop them. God PUSHES things to the ground when you let go of them.

 

[Anachronism]

I cannot believe we are going to debate the validity of evolution AGAIN. Will you religious wingnuts PLEASE confine your reality-denial to the home and the Sunday School classroom?

No problem. Right after you science-geeks stop trying to teach every child that if it cannot be scientifically "proven" it doesn't exist.

Because scientific FACTS support the theory. Just like they support the THEORY of gravity

Which scientific FACTS do you have to support the THEORY of creationism?

Are you OK with schools teaching there are no scientific facts supporting creationism? How about that scientific FACTS do not support the Bible?

If the FACTS support it so clearly, why isn't Evolution of the Species accepted as SCIENTIFIC LAW rather than THEORY. Kind of a big hole in your arguement there, winger. The word "Theory" indicates that it cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at this time.

Where/When have I ever even mentioned the Bible? I haven't. I'm not a follower of an Abrahamic religion. That doesn't mean I don't believe in the concept of Divine Creation.

I would be more than fine with schools teaching...... NO SINGLE THEORY ON THE CREATION OF THE WORLD CAN BE PROVEN BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT AT THIS TIME. How does that strike you?

 

[Immanuel]

O for the love of Mike, if you lose your car keys, Immie, do you jump to the conclusion that a leprechan stole them? Or do you keep looking for your keys?

The holes in the record of evolution are not proof that God exists.

Did I say that those holes were proof? No, I did not. I never even thought that they were.

You seem to be the one jumping to conclusions.

The holes are there whether you admit it or not. The fact that those holes are there leaves room for argument that you live in a fairy tale land.

Immie

 

[Two Thumbs]

Which part of "freedom of religion" or "separation of church and state" is confusing to you, Joe?

You want to believe the Earth is 5,000 years old and teach your child that, fine by me. But WTF gives you any right to teach that nonsense to MY child?

What gives you the right to force a theory as fact on my children?

Oh and

States rights come into play in schools. Even with the useless DoE.

No state has the legal right to violate the constitution. Teaching public school children that God exists does EXACTLY that.

Where did it state that they want to teach creation of teach about god in your original post? did I miss it? cuz if they want to teach about god they can as a seperate subject, what they can't do is teach a specific religion.