Courtesy of the National Center for Science Education:
Pop the champagne corks. The Texas Board of Education has unanimously come down on the side of evolution. In an 8-0 vote, the board today approved scientifically accurate high school biology textbook supplements from established mainstream publishers--and did not approve the creationist-backed supplements from International Databases, LLC.
"This is a huge victory for Texas students and teachers," said Josh Rosenau, NCSE programs and policy director, who testified at the hearings this week. In his testimony, Rosenau urged the board to approve the supplements--recommended by a review panel largely composed of scientists and science educators--without amendments, and to reject International Database's creationist submission. The board did just that, and asked for only minimal changes to the approved supplements.
In hearings yesterday, NCSE members and allies showed up in force. At least four times as many people testified in favor of the supplements as written, versus those opposing the supplements or demanding significant changes.
Ultimately, the board approved the Holt supplement, and directed Commissioner of Education Robert Scott to review the list of supposed errors, and to develop amended language for Holt to incorporate. NCSE and Texas education groups are confident Scott's revisions will reflect the current state of evolutionary biology, and not any creationist alternatives.
Dr. Eugenie Scott, NCSE's Executive Director is celebrating the decision. "These supplements reflect the overwhelming scientific consensus that evolution is the core of modern biology, and is a central and vital concept in any biology class. That these supplements were adopted unanimously reflects a long overdue change in the board. I commend the board for its refusal to politicize science education."
Well I guess this is a glimmer of sanity in a state which still has Rick Perry as it Governor and whose abstinence only sex education program causes it to have the highest teen birth rate in the nation.
Oh well, at least now that Texans understand that evolution is fact they might soon realize that Rick Perry is somewhat further down that evolutionary trail than one might expect for the Governor of their state.
I mean seriously, is this guy even able to use rudimentary stone tools yet?
Thank God!
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord! And pass the ammunition.
ReplyDeleteRick's a Prick.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'.
Sorry to make the first comment off topic but I just clicked on a poll by Townhall.com and HotAir.com where they were asking if Sarah should run or if she would be more effective as an "unelected 'elder stateswoman' and proponent for conservatism". I don't think the fact that Sarah really is an elder has sunk in with her yet. I wonder how long that poll will stay up?
ReplyDeleteHe can use pom-poms.
ReplyDeleteWhat a yutz! One thing is certain: he does have a primitive mind. Where do these people come from?
ReplyDeleteForgive me this Sunday morning but when I look at that photo he reminds me of an ape! Maybe it's the pose or the hair but I see an ape.
ReplyDeleteThank dog!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
People should go to that second link. It has a link to the HuffPo article, which has a video of the interview. It's pretty interesting. It is an example of the mentality of the Republican Party today: "If Plan A does not work, keep trying Plan A."
ReplyDeleteI have seen many better looking primates, and they seemed much more intelligent.
ReplyDeleteCreationism boiled down:
ReplyDeleteThe Universe is sooo complex that it must have been made by something that is even more complex, extending that logic, that creator would have to have been made by something even more complex, which would have to be made by something even more complex, so on.
And they wonder why teachers can't teach it with a straight face.
No wonder he and "she" were good buddies.
ReplyDeleteMr. Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteI'm taking a reverse psychology kind of stab here...but wouldn't it make sense that those who advocate abstinence only is really trying to help increase the population of caucasian babies to minimize the impact of minority births in the U.S? It would definitely explain their motive and strategy.
Just sayin'
Thanks for getting the word out about Rick Perry.
ReplyDeleteLast year when he was running for governor,Perry kept saying our state's economy was strong and healthy.Well it wasn't.
Bill White,Democrat running against Perry said "our state was in big trouble,having 22 billion deficit in our budget."It turned out to be 27 Billion and Perry was lying to us.
We are severely slashing services to the poor,children and sick.
Not very many people like him any more especially public school teachers.
Right wing Texans just voted for Perry because they were afraid of the Democrats and Obama.
As a displaced Texan who watched as the state was devoured by Bushies, and thourhg the aprox. two decades it took to completely take over the state's school book commission -
ReplyDeletemy guess is that high tech businesses already in Texas and mayors who are trying to attract high tech business put the screws to these ass holes.
Who is going to want to move their business to a state that has horrible air quality, horrible school systems, the nations highest sales tax?
Their transferred from out of state management will have put their children into one of the worst public school systems in the country, or refuse the promotion and transfer that would come with the opening of a new plant or branch in Texas.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhat a yutz! One thing is certain: he does have a primitive mind. Where do these people come from?
3:34 AM
In the case of Whorehouse Perry, he is a Bushie lap dog.
He was a wealthy rancher and major money raiser for the love of his life Duhbya.
What a relief! I am preparing to send my oldest child to kindergarten this year, and have only read horrible things about the public schools in Texas. This is not much, but it is encouraging and really kind of surprising. I know how great it feels to laugh and make fun of Rick Perry, but do not underestimate him. While he is certainly no intellectual, he is an amazingly talented politician. He makes my skin crawl, but he is very slick at winning over morons.
ReplyDeleteWow..First yes this is good news and a very much welcomed point of view to the people of Texas.
ReplyDeleteHowever please note, Texans as a whole did not approve of the way the State Board of Education created such an ugly sensation last summer with the overall Christian right wing theme to their proceedings.
And just to be clear, I am not a fan of Rick Perry. He's a fraud and nothing short of a walking disaster for the state of Texas. BUT, one thing he is not is a Bush lap dog. It's a well known fact Perry and Bush don't like each other, never have and never will. Nor is Perry's family the main source of wealth from where all his political power flows. His wife's family comes from old money in Texas and from that old money Perry's political machine gets plenty of power. Perry is no political genius. Not by a long a shot, but the people behind him are and it's those connections that make this buffoon a threat on the national stage.
Re Perry, "I mean seriously, is this guy even able to use rudimentary stone tools yet? "
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but he sure has that sloped head thing going on!
Texas has a lot of similarities to Alaska. There are lots of bully/psychopathic politicians, there are lots of people with a mean streak as well as a lot of really good people who work to help others, lots of idiots mixed with lots of intelligent/educated people. Just like AK the Texas wackjobs know how to get the most attention, so the really good people are not noticed as much.
ReplyDeleteKudos regarding your last sentence. I thought he looked shockingly simian, as well.
ReplyDeleteWoo Hoo! This is great news!
ReplyDeleteComparing this prayerful dolt to an ape is giving him too much credit, though both are known to fling poo, Perry has raised the taming of his coif to an artform- he should teach Donald Trump and Sarah Trademark Heath Palin "man shared the earth with dinosaurs four thousand years ago" genius, his hairdressing secrets. And he does it so well despite not having opposeable thumbs!