Texas deadlocks on evolution standards - March 27, 2009
Half of Texas's Board of Education voted today to support the teaching of "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution in high school classrooms. But because the vote was a tie, an earlier decision to leave out the evolution-doubting component stands.
Social conservatives had argued that the state curriculum should contain qualifications about the acceptance of evolution. Seven Republicans voted in favour of the proposal, and three Republicans and four Democrats against it. The dramatic vote included a video vote from a board member who had heart surgery last month (Dallas Morning News).
Final votes are expected Friday on a number of amendments to the state textbook standards, including one that would require students to "analyze and evaluate the sufficiency or insufficiency of natural selection to explain the complexity of the cell" (Associated Press). Texas Citizens for Science, an activist group, has a good round-up on its website.
Because Texas is such a large textbook market, decisions by its board of education tend to resonate nationwide (New York Times story from last summer).
Comments
If I'm not mistaken, Charles Darwin had a few very critical chapters in his book pointing out the flaws in his theory, why not have the kids read excepts from the book? Maybe assign a paper to all students where they would have to choice a side. This would teach students to argue their points in a logical matter, a skill that is very useful in life.
Posted by: DrBurst | March 27, 2009 01:53 AM
May evolution deniers be infected with MRSA and demand penicillin as a test of faith.
Posted by: Uncle Al | March 27, 2009 02:37 AM