A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a case brought in Kansas by a religiously-minded group of parents and students. The plaintiffs were concerned about their home state’s adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
As Ars reported back in 2013 when the case was first filed, the NGSS standards are a nationwide attempt to improve science education in the US. They have been backed by organizations such as the National Research Council, National Science Teachers Association, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
This case, COPE v. Kansas Board of Education, is a notable victory for science—and a blow to the creationist crowd and its progeny.
The Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE) has lead the charge against the NGSS in Kansas, and claims that these new standards are actually a form of religious indoctrination. (The NGSS have been adopted by 18 states, including Kansas.) How could COPE come to that conclusion? Because, it argues, the NGSS do not include any religious explanation for the origins of life and the universe. Therefore, according to the group, the NGSS in Kansas violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which forbids the government's ability to "establish" a state-sanctioned religion.
So let me see if I have this straight. By removing all reference to any religious mythology about the origins of life and the universe, these textbooks are essentially establishing a state sanctioned religion in its place.
Damn that is a truckload of stupid.
You know trying to understand that just killed so many of my brain cells that it's almost like I was educated in a Kansas public school.
I was raised in a Lutheran church environment. At no time in my education (even through college) was I not able to separate religion and science. I am so sick of these idiots!
ReplyDeleteThese religious zealots are like energizer bunnies. They are tireless in trying to force their belief in the imaginary down everyone's throat. Their belief is so fragile. Obama was right, these folks cling to guns and bibles. They are terribly frightened by the world.
ReplyDeleteNew Pig in town>
ReplyDelete"That’s between them and God,” he added. “The few transgenders rights do not trump the rights of the many. I will not stand by in political correctness afraid of being labeled and allow a male to enter a bathroom my daughter occupies. I just won’t do it.”
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/texas-cop-id-beat-a-trans-woman-unconscious-if-she-tried-to-share-a-bathroom-with-my-daughter/
I wonder if he was ever told this is actually a REPUBLIC and thus it is the job of the government to PROTECT the rights of the minorities against the majority?
Deletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/can-you-get-addicted-to-religion/
ReplyDeleteThis whole crock of shite boils down to the Christian Taliban tribe constantly trying to proclaim that they are persecuted.
ReplyDeleteI've read many articles and seen the videos of preachers claiming that athiesm is a religion.
No amount of reasoning or rational thought process can convince this crowd how wrong they are.
Their brains have been absorbed by the Jesus Borg, rendering them immune to critical thinking, history, or fact based logic.
In another 30 years enough of the "moral majority" Falwell crowd will have died off, and just maybe we can begin to have some relief from their constant efforts at pushing theocracy in the USA
Amen. ;)
DeleteGeorgiaPeach
They simply can't get outside their own worldview long enough to understand a different way of seeing the universe. In their minds, a lack of religion is actually a religion because they cannot fathom a life without "faith." So they call a dearth of theism a "religion of the state." The paucity of imagination shown by these people would be funny if it didn't affect public policy so negatively.
ReplyDeleteThink about the heinous, evil things you didn't do the day you finally decided you didn't believe in God. You didn't turn to Satan, because you don't believe in him either. You didn't do horrible things not because you managed to get enough religion to make you a better person. You used the most important gift of all next to life, reason and intellect. You didn't become smug, because, like everyone else, you still couldn't explain with a certainty why the universe and life evolved. What you did know with a certainty is that the explanations you were taught in Sunday school were acceptable for little children, much like the stork, but once you began to fully embrace your ability reason.
ReplyDeleteUmbrellas!~ President and first lady:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/ICUDrEd/status/723832502826225668/photo/1
"right-winging, bitter-clinging proud clingers of our guns, our God, and our religions, and our Constitution?" Palin Umbrellagate:
http://freakoutnation.com/2013/05/umbrella-gate-sarah-palin-most-americans-hold-their-own-umbrellas-except-for-every-other-president/
They sure thought they'd have a shot with the Robert's Court, if only Scalia were still alive.
ReplyDeleteThere are no candy bars on the menu, therefore, the menu represents an obvious promotion of chocolate candy.
ReplyDeleteThey were trying to whittle another wedge to get their SIG in (special interest group). They'll just come up with another scheme to get their way. It's less about faith, & more about power for those who lead this bullshit. If kids get their non-science tale daily in school, it will become the norm. Generation after generation will be indoctrinated. If the school teaches it, then it MUST be true. In the meantime, their churches, & parents will re-enforce it. Rest assure children will come home from school to parents who do not believe ... imagine the fear and confusion that child might experience ... especially if their classmates do their Christian bullying. To me all of this is abusive. During my public grade school years we said the Lord's prayer in the morning. I was raised Catholic & we said it differently than the Protestant kids. Some of those kids were awful. I was going to hell. Damnation in the fire pit of hell. I & the other Catholic kids were no different than other kids. But no matter, they not only hurt my feelings, they scared me about going to hell & made me question what I was being taught by the nuns in Catechism. In 2nd grade, I made my 1st Confession & then my First Holy Communion. I was released from school on certain days to walk to our parish for Confession and Communion instructions. Some kids were bullied. Another thing, I was 7 years old, & lying to the priest during Confessions because I felt I had to make up sins to confess. He'd give me my pennance, and I'd sit all by myself in church just knowing God would strike me dead walking home. (Imagine a 7 year old walking a mile all by herself. Those were the days). I counted every stained glass, each ceiling rafter, all the statues, ... I sat there & had a silent conversation with God. Told him I was sorry, but still scared to walk home. But I lived, so God must not be so mad by a lie or two, after all. It was then, just barely 7, I stopped going to Confession. Never went back, though still took Communion. I made the decision then that what was between me & God was nobody else's business, including the nuns, priest or the Pope. Today I'm a lapsed Catholic. I don't think I believe anymore. My adult son is a non-believer. I gave him a choice as a kid. I still sometimes go to Mass, though I no longer take Communion. It puzzled me why I go, but I think it's the sense of peace that washes over me. That is what I eventually felt at 7 contemplating a bolt of lightening striking me as I walked home. It took several Saturday visits lying in the Confessional for peace to come to me. Either an angel visited me that day, or I was just an honest, intuitive little girl. Anyway, sorry for getting off subject. I respect those who believe. If it helps them go through life, who am I to judge. BUT, I have little respect, and no time for those who push their agenda on me or others. Most especially when their behavior goes against the teachings of Christ, or whomever they worship. The separation of church and state was put in our Constitution for a reason. My experience as a child is minor compared with how others have been treated. No one, especially a child should have to unwillingly be forced to endure the religion of others. THAT is what our founding fathers had in mind! They can't tell someone to ignore it as it singles you out ... that opens the door to abuse. These Christo-fascists will never stop trying to force their will. They will never stop being creative in forcing their will. They will never stop complaining that they are being persecuted. They have this insatiable need for power, to institute fear, to control; all while their leaders (and possibly themselves) live a corrupt life. Sorry for this being so long. I've told my Confessional story only once, it felt good to talk about it. BTW, the one person I told, was a priest. He told me my decision was okay as it was a soul searching decision.
ReplyDelete