Intelligent Design Theory: Science or Religion?

Law would give schools freedom
(By ANNA SCOTT, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, May 2, 2007)

TALLAHASSEE -- School districts that do everything right will have unprecedented freedom starting next school year to choose textbooks, ignore the state-mandated 90-minute reading block -- even avoid some of the state's spending requirements.

A proposed law loosening the state's grip and creating special privileges for a class of "high performing" districts passed the Legislature on Tuesday and is headed to the governor.

"When you have a district that exceeds the state's requirements and expectations, they must know something," said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, the proposal's leading proponent. "We're going to allow them the flexibility to keep improving."

A school district must have an A rating for two consecutive years, meet the requirements of the class size amendment, pass its most recent financial audit and have no "F" rated schools to win a pass on Department of Education rules.

Despite unanimous votes of support in both chambers, critics said the new law sets up inequities.

******************************************

Other lawmakers were uncomfortable with the open-ended way the proposed law was written. It lists only the regulations "high performing" schools must comply with, such as anti-discrimination and student safety laws. Everything else is flexible and absent from the proposal.

"In one fell swoop we're letting districts do anything, it would appear," said Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach. "I think it's opening the door to something that may have great promise, except that we should know what kind of flexibility and freedom we're giving a school district."

Allowing school districts to choose textbooks that are not on a state-approved list prompted fears. One lawmaker said the proposal would allow schools to buy science books espousing the theory of intelligent design, a teaching that credits the creation of the world to an intelligent being rather than evolution, while remaining silent on subjects such as the Holocaust or black history.

Backers said that was unlikely, however, because for schools to keep their "high performing" status, students must excel on the FCAT, which is aligned to the state's curriculum standards, which do not include subjects such as intelligent design.

Under the proposal, a school district would secure its status for three years, unless a school dropped to an F grade.

The House approved the bill Friday. Before the Senate voted Tuesday, Gaetz promised that lawmakers would watch the bill's implementation to head off glitches. Schools that qualify would also be required to submit an annual report.

The mastermind behind the proposal, Gaetz said his inspiration came in part from his own experience as a school superintendent in Okaloosa County, where he realized that he and his teachers often came up with better strategies than the Department of Education.

He called the passage a "victory for local control."

Quote:

It's only science in the same way ID is. When you have your eyes in your pocket and your nose in the ground there's a science to that and when you raise your sights from the dirt and the grubs there's a science to that. The former can't write, can't make music, can't dance and, if Darwin is anything to go by, they can't sit a horse properly; not even a young tamed filly.

what the hell are you talking about????

I think most viewers would understand that post.

Allowing school districts to choose textbooks that are not on a state-approved list prompted fears. One lawmaker said the proposal would allow schools to buy science books espousing the theory of intelligent design, a teaching that credits the creation of the world to an intelligent being rather than evolution, while remaining silent on subjects such as the Holocaust or black history.

HA

Quote:

I think most viewers would understand that post.

HA.

I wish we were required to post the picture of the rabbit with a pancake on its head whenever you babble a post spendi . Many of us are just too polite to openly question your sanity (Ill send you a PM)

It's only science in the same way ID is. When you have your eyes in your pocket and your nose in the ground there's a science to that and when you raise your sights from the dirt and the grubs there's a science to that. The former can't write, can't make music, can't dance and, if Darwin is anything to go by, they can't sit a horse properly; not even a young tamed filly.

Trubble is, spendi feels that he makes sense. Well, lets not turn this into a "dump on spendi " night . Lets let the man himself come up with something glib and dylanish, that evidences our point..

I agree. I'm sure you won't have to wait long. But I don't read his posts so you'll have to tell me if you find something interesting.

Ha I remember page after page of "viewers" posting 'rabbit with pancake on head' after we first encountered Spendi's posts. That brings back memories.

It's interesting to watch the new members of this thread 'discover' Spendi all over again and see them reach the same conclusion every time (he's a waste of time). Was it TKess who said, "Boy are you irrelevant". I thought that was an interesting choice of terms.

Trubble is, spendi feels that he makes sense. Well, lets not turn this into a "dump on spendi " night . Lets let the man himself come up with something glib and dylanish, that evidences our point..

I wish we were required to post the picture of the rabbit with a pancake on its head whenever you babble a post spendi . Many of us are just too polite to openly question your sanity (Ill send you a PM)

Oh, the benches were stained with tears and perspiration,
The birdies were flying from tree to tree.
There was little to say, there was no conversation
As I stepped to the stage to pick up my degree.
And the locusts sang off in the distance,
Yeah, the locusts sang such a sweet melody.
Oh, the locusts sang off in the distance,
Yeah, the locusts sang and they were singing for me.

I glanced into the chamber where the judges were talking,
Darkness was everywhere, it smelled like a tomb.
I was ready to leave, I was already walkin',
But the next time I looked there was light in the room.
And the locusts sang, yeah, it give me a chill,
Oh, the locusts sang such a sweet melody.
Oh, the locusts sang their high whining trill,
Yeah, the locusts sang and they were singing for me.

Outside of the gates the trucks were unloadin',
The weather was hot, a-nearly 90 degrees.
The man standin' next to me, his head was exploding,
Well, I was prayin' the pieces wouldn't fall on me.
Yeah, the locusts sang off in the distance,
Yeah, the locusts sang such a sweet melody.
Oh, the locusts sang off in the distance,
And the locusts sang and they were singing for me.

I put down my robe, picked up my diploma,
Took hold of my sweetheart and away we did drive,
Straight for the hills, the black hills of Dakota,
Sure was glad to get out of there alive.
And the locusts sang, well, it give me a chill,
Yeah, the locusts sang such a sweet melody.
And the locusts sang with a high whinin' trill,
Yeah, the locusts sang and they was singing for me,
Singing for me, well, singing for me.

The divisiveness of intelligent design policies points to a dangerous trend in which certain communities may be actively turning away from the wider culture, exacerbating existing conditions, and creating new ones.

Quote:

The divisiveness of intelligent design policies points to a dangerous trend in which certain communities may be actively turning away from the wider culture, exacerbating existing conditions, and creating new ones.

Source: Kevin Trowel, "Divided by Design: Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, Intelligent Design, and Civic Education", The Georgetown Law Journal, March 2007.