Not in Kansas anymore...

[Soapy Sam]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2013263,00.html

Creationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teaching



· Guidelines challenging Darwinism banned
· Decision is latest blow to intelligent design activists

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Thursday February 15, 2007
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)


School authorities in the American heartland state of Kansas have delivered a rebuff to subscribers to the notion of intelligent design by voting to banish language challenging evolution from new science guidelines.

[Miss Anthrope]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2013263,00.html

Creationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teaching



· Guidelines challenging Darwinism banned
· Decision is latest blow to intelligent design activists

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Thursday February 15, 2007
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)


School authorities in the American heartland state of Kansas have delivered a rebuff to subscribers to the notion of intelligent design by voting to banish language challenging evolution from new science guidelines.

What's truly frightening is that it was a 6 to 4 decision!!

[vbloke]

this is the truth: http://intelligentdesignr.org.uk

[rjh01]

OK, you have convinced me

Huge spoiler inside
Take the first letter of each paragraph ...

This is rjh01 intestines. We have just stopped him typing a big spoiler

[username]

School authorities in the American heartland state of Kansas have delivered a rebuff to subscribers to the notion of intelligent design by voting to banish language challenging evolution from new science guidelines.

Anyone got the actual text of the ban? I don't think I would supporting banning 'language challenging evolution' or any other scientific theory.

I get the idea that they were just sending a message to the ID people to go away, but if the actual language says 'This is the theory we are sticking with and it may not be challenged.", that seems a little closed minded and not far thinking.

[196]

Anyone got the actual text of the ban? I don't think I would supporting banning 'language challenging evolution' or any other scientific theory.

Here is the URL for a PDF of the new Kansas Science Education Standards (with changes indicated). Cut-and-paste and replace 'dot' with '.':

wwwdotksdedotorg/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=dIfXiULIdS4%3D&tabid=144

The board didn't "ban" anything. They tightened the definition of "science" and removed educational standards that required teachers to explain that evolution is controversial.

The definition of "science" in the previous standards:
Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation that uses observations, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, logical argument and theory building to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena.

The new definition of "science":
Science is a human activity of systematically seeking natural explanations for what we observe in the world around us.
I think the phrase "natural explanations" telegraphs the intent of the changes made by the new board.

This text was removed from the new standards:
Evolution is accepted by many scientists but questioned by some. The Board has heard credible scientific testimony that indeed there are significant debates about the evidence for key aspects of chemical and biological evolutionary theory. All scientific theories should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered. We therefore think it is important and appropriate for students to know about these scientific debates and for the Science Curriculum Standards to include information about them.

[mommyrex]

The Guardian headline makes it sound as though the thought police won.

What really happened, is that science and procedure won, while Intelligent Design and religious preference lost. The actions of the majority members of the prior board were quite ugly, right up to election day. They rejected standards approved (by 2/3 vote on all content) by the Science Standards Writing Committee, and instead adopted standards written, as far as anyone can tell, by the overruled minority of the committee, with help from members of the board and their Intelligent Design puppeteers. Then they spent a bunch of money a week before the election on a propaganda campaign explaining that their standards don't include Intelligent Design.

They did plenty of other dumb stuff, too. Despite their mission, they worked hard to undermine the public schools through waste and terrible decisionmaking. And four of them are still in office. I just hope Kansans will remember (and care) beyond this one election cycle ...

[H3LL]

this is the truth: http://intelligentdesignr.org.uk

"unlessenable complicatedness".

Brilliant :D

.

[username]

Here is the URL for a PDF of the new Kansas Science Education Standards (with changes indicated). Cut-and-paste and replace 'dot' with '.':

wwwdotksdedotorg/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=dIfXiULIdS4%3D&tabid=144

The board didn't "ban" anything. They tightened the definition of "science" and removed educational standards that required teachers to explain that evolution is controversial.

Gotcha! Thanks for the explanation. Mommyrex too!

[ksbluesfan]

This will last only until the next election when the moderates are replaced. Kansas is an odd state. It's the home of the Reverend "God Hates Fags" Phelps, third-term abortions, and bans on evolution every 6-8 years.