Tennessee House OKs bill shielding teachers who doubt evolution, global warming

[Newsjock]

Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press

The House voted 70-23 today for a bill backers say shields teachers from being disciplined if they discuss alternatives to evolution and global warming theories with students.

... Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, said the bill’s intent is to promote “critical thinking” in science classrooms.

Critics contend it’s a shield to allow the teaching of evolution alternatives such as intelligent design and creationism.

Bill supporter Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, said that “since the late ‘50s, early ‘60s when we let the intellectual bullies hijack our education system, we’ve been on a slippery slope.”

Read more: http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/apr/07/tennessee-house-oks-bill-shielding-teachers-who-do/

[Ezlivin]

1. Will they "shield" teachers who doubt religion, god, abstinence?

Will they "shield" teachers who doubt the drug war or any other war?

Will they "shield" teachers who doubt that GMO are safe?

[d_r]

2. Piiiiiiiiiiiiiitifuuuul. Pit. IF. Full.

[Bozita]

3. taking the science out of science teachers!

Problem solving is a GOPer specialty.

[asjr]

4. Holding head in shame.

[Itchinjim]

5. Fucking morans

eom

[HockeyMom]

6. I was taught Evoluation in SCIENCE class in Catholic School

SO YOUR religion, goes against MY religion. You know what? Keep ANY religion out of PUBLIC SCHOOLS, period.

[fascisthunter]

7. this country is Fascist... twisting of education for religious fanatics

fuck that!

[Igel]

8. There's a fine line there.

Some teachers I know are creationists (of some stripe). They avoid the issue with students; they may discuss it among other teachers. In any event, their attitude is that there are 9 months of school (7, if you include test prep and testing) but easily 14-15 months of curriculum. Cursorily handling evolution and moving on quickly isn't a problem, since they handle just about everything else cursorily.

Others are vehemently anti-creationist, and denounce it in the classroom. "There is only one scientific approach to biology, and that is evolution. You cannot say you understand science unless you utterly reject all this creationist voodoo gibberish." This does little but offend those who do believe. It's not an argument: It's an insult, an ex cathedra pronouncement, a turnoff worded as a challenge. One must not only be able to deal with the theory and the evidence, one must almost come to the altar and say, "I believe! Halleludarwin!" They make it sound personal and adversarial. It's not.

Many others tip-toe around the problem. They deal with evolution properly in biology class (not so much in Spanish, English, or chemistry); they deal with the evidence, the claims, etc. But they didn't require buy-in, just tolerance. They also leave their own beliefs out of it. "Mrs. Coxswain-Mordekaievovna, what do you think about intelligent design?" "I don't discuss my beliefs, Yitzhak Tsao." Some want to be cool, "Well, you know, I really don't see how it's relevant, there are more important things. Is that new Li'l Wayne?" Others want to be hyperprofessional, "That question is improper, and to respond to it in any way other than citing policy would constitute a violation of the code of professional ethics and place me in violation of the oath that I took upon assuming my august duties as a professional educator in loco parentis and blibbity-blabble."

I like the latter approach, without the hyperprofessionalism.

[daleo]

13. I hope they also teach the controversy about gravity

The Bible clearly says that Jesus walked on water, so they must have an alternative version of gravity that accounts for this anomaly.

Likewise for inertia, since the Bible says the Earth stopped spinning for a full day, without any adverse consequences.

Then there must be alternative theories of chemistry that explain how water can be transformed into wine, in a few seconds.

There are other anomalies in the Bible as well.

If religious tales are to be incorporated into science lessons, let's not stop with evolutionary biology. Let's do the whole thing.

[rpannier]

9. we let the intellectual bullies

In other words... When we turned education over to people who knew what they were talking about, ie experts and shunned the rantings of clowns

[plumbob]

10. Well, this is good news...for Texas. I'm always worried that our

Legislature and state school board may be the stupidest in the world, but now I can say,

THANK GOD FOR TENNESSEE!

woo-hoo! Texas ain't the dumbest!!! NANANA

Well, you get the idea.

[last_texas_dem]

11. WTF is an "alternative" global warming theory?

God has been so pissed at witnessing the sinfulness of humans over recent decades that the steam shooting out of his nose has been heating up the atmosphere?

[Fearless]

12. What about shielding those who support it? Or is it seperate but equal?

[COLGATE4]

14. Home of the Scopes trial. Nothing has changed. Fucking Morans.