Cartoonist wanted: Texas science standards fight

From the evil Discos:

[Education warning: If you work for a typical school board, you should not be reading this blog! Do not read it at work!]

Big Win in Texas as State Now Leads Nation in Requiring Critical Analysis of Evolution in High School Science Classes

Robert Crowther

In a huge victory for those who favor teaching the scientific evidence for and against evolution, Texas today moved to the head of the class by requiring students to “critique” and examine “all sides of scientific evidence” and specifically requiring students to “analyze and evaluate” the evidence for major evolutionary concepts such as common ancestry, natural selection, and mutations.

“Texas has sent a clear message that evolution should be taught as a scientific theory open to critical scrutiny, not as a sacred dogma that can’t be questioned,” said Dr. John West, Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute. “Contrary to the claims of the evolution lobby, absolutely nothing the Board did promotes ‘creationism’ or religion in the classroom. Groups that assert otherwise are lying, plain and simple. Under the new standards, students will be expected to analyze and evaluate the scientific evidence for evolution, not religion. Period.”

The new requirements were contained in revised science standards approved today by the Texas State Board of Education. The science standards include language requiring students to “analyze, evaluate and critique scientific explanations…including examining all sides of scientific evidence… so as to encourage critical thinking by the student.” Equally important, the high school biology standards now require students to “analyze and evaluate” the scientific evidence for key parts of evolutionary theory, including common ancestry, natural selection, and mutations.

Discovery Institute has long endorsed the idea that evolution should be fully and completely presented to students, including its unresolved issues.

SOURCE

Okay, so the State of Texas will now be sued by Darwin pressure groups.

The only question I have is, how many dollars of US public funds will they be given to do that? How much will Texas taxpayers be on the hook for?

I think these Texans are fighting a noble battle, but may it be - in these times - a lost cause?

Many third and fourth-rate intellectuals - having seen the complete failure of their ideas in any setting where evidence matters - have sought to make them law, case law, or government policy. And they largely succeed. You'd have to be a Texas longhorn or a wolf of the northern forest to evade their reach.

And it is going to get far worse before it gets better.

Also, a friend writes to ask,

Does anyone know a cartoonist/artist?

We would like a drawing of E. Scott [= key Darwin lobbyist] getting the boot out of Texas. Possible caption "Don't Mess With Texas".

I have never seen her so angry.

I replied,

I will advertise on my blog, care of me.

It is high time these censorious nobodies started getting the boot.

We are eye deep with them here in Canada. (I will later be reviewing Ezra Levant's book, Shakedown. )

They think they have the right to interfere with anything, anywhere, when no one is actually in danger. It's just a question of some people thinking differently from them. Can't allow that, can we?

Do you think Obama will give them a big grant to pursue their activities? Under his stimulus program?

Well, if so, another fine instance of Americans' tax dollars at work.

Oh, you know what? We just have to get these people out of public life and back to the obscurity they so justly merit.

Find out why there is an intelligent design controversy. It is not what you probably think: