Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

WE DONT AND WONT HAVE A STATE RELIGION PERIOD.

I've never heard of Russell Brand nor Piers Morgan and can't think why anyone would claim these two nobodies are highly popular in the States. As for Benny Hill, once you've seen a couple of his 30 minute programs, you've basically seen every gag he has.

When is Southampton going to recognise its famous son izzy?

I take it your snide "ancestor worship" remark refers to the mere fact of the existence of the constitution. That's pretty fuckin' hilarious coming from an Englishman. Does the Speaker of the House of Lords still sit on the Woolsack? Does the Queen still open Parliament with a speech from the throne? Do tourists not line up to take photos of the "Beefeaters" at the Tower? Do sailors in the Royal Navy still get their rum ration? Ancestor worship indeed .

Creation science bill clears the Indiana Senate
(By Scott Elliott, Indy Star, February 1, 2012)

The Indiana Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would allow creationism to be taught in the classroom — an idea that, if it becomes law, could likely end up in a courtroom.

Senate Bill 89, authored by Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, would allow schools to teach religion-based views on the origin of creation — be they Muslim, Jewish, Scientology or Christian — alongside the theory of evolution in public school science classes.

Schools, however, would not be required to do so, and an Indiana Department of Education spokesman said the state would not develop any such curriculum or guidelines for teaching creationism.

The Senate passed the bill 28-22. It would still need to be passed by the House and signed by Gov. Mitch Daniels before it became law.

“I believe in creation,” Kruse said, “and I believe it deserves to be taught in our public schools.”

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, had a decidedly different take: “I can’t believe we are even considering this.”

The question now — if it becomes law — is whether schools will consider it. And if they do, will that violate the Constitution?

Creation science was specifically ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1987 case in which the court voided a Louisiana law that required creation science to be taught alongside evolution in science class. The court found the law violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution because it was designed to advance religion.

Kruse said he is aware of the precedent but isn’t sure it would survive today.

“This is a different Supreme Court,” he said. “This Supreme Court could rule differently.”

Sen. Tim Skinner, D-Terre Haute, asked whether Indiana is ready for the lengthy legal battle that could follow.

“If we get sued,” he asked, “who is going to pay for the lawsuit?”

The answer to Skinner’s question might help explain why Kruse felt the need to put creationism into state law.

Technically, a school district could teach creationism now — and some do.

“As far as I know,” said Mount Vernon Community School Corporation Superintendent William Riggs, “we’ve always been allowed to do that.”

Riggs said Mount Vernon High School’s biology class already teaches creationism alongside evolution. “We’ve been doing this for years.”

Riggs said the school teaches them as “two theories of the origins of life” and said that in literature classes students often learn about the Bible and the Quran. “The idea is to get kids to think.”

But districts such as Mount Vernon potentially open themselves up to costly lawsuits. Kruse’s bill gives those districts and any other that choose to teach creationism some legal cover — and likely would draw the state into their defense.

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Coincidentally, Tuesday’s vote came on the same day that the Fordham Foundation released a report that named Indiana as one of just seven states that earned an “A” for its science standards.

That might change.

“If this law passes, for the classrooms of Indiana, it would be a serious undermining of the teaching of evolution,” said Kathleen Porter-Magee, senior director of the High Quality Standards Project at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

The think tank, based in Washington, D.C., advocates for high academic standards and school choice.

In its report, Fordham said the challenges to evolution are among the biggest problems facing science standards today.

Adding creation science to state standards, Porter Magee said, would be a step in the wrong direction.

Francis Eberle, the executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, agrees.

“I understand that religious belief and faith is important,” he said. “We don’t dispute that in any fashion. Our position is that in the science classroom we should be teaching science.”

Kruse called evolution a “Johnny come lately” idea that emerged well after many religious views about the origins of life were formed.

“Many people still believe in creation,” he said. “Our schools are teaching what many people believe is false.”

Kruse thinks his bill is fair to everyone because it was amended to allow the creation theories of several religions, not just Christianity. But the inclusion of other religions was the reason Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford, said he voted against the measure.

Nine other Republicans voted against the bill, and one Democrat, Lindel Hume of Princeton, voted for it.

Maybe you should give it a try, that way you might have a few less Gungasnakes

They were bemoaning the electoral college system, as Gore had clearly won the popular vote.

By the way you seem to be undermining Setanta's claim that Americans don't revere the constitution. You definitely do.

Tailgunner Joe McCarthy had nothing to do with the constitution--and he lasted exactly as long as it took for the jackass to take on someone who wasn't afraid of him (the United States Army) and to be publicly disparaged by an honorable man.