Texas creationists lose!

[Archae]

Looks like the bibble-believers lost and lost out big.

Texas School Board Adopts Accurate Biology Books, Rebuffing Last-Ditch Campaign By Creationists

Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 11/22/2013 4:45 pm

This afternoon, the Texas State Board of Education gave its final approval to a set of biology textbooks that include scientifically sound teachings about evolution, rebuffing a campaign by creationists to include “biblical principles” in science texts. However, the board delayed its approval of one of the books until a board of experts reviews the complaints of anti-evolutionists. The Texas Freedom Network, which has been fighting to keep science in the state’s science textbooks, called the vote a “huge win for science education” and noted that “throughout the adoption process, publishers refused to make concessions that would have compromised science instruction on evolution and climate change in their textbooks.” People For the American Way joined TFN earlier this year to deliver 300,000 petitions to the school board urging them to reject attempts to insert creationism into science texts.

- See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/texas-school-board-adopts-accurate-biology-books-rebuffing-last-ditch-campaign-creationists#sthash.X0XDQAh7.dpuf

[northoftheborder]

1. Texas Freedom Network is a worthy group to support.

[Gothmog]

3. This group has been doing a great job

[Lucky Luciano]

4. They ought to change their name!

Sounds like a standard right wing group with a typically Orwellian name!

On the flip side, no reason to let the fascists own the word, "freedom."

[TxDemChem]

6. Absolutely!

They have really had our backs in these textbook fights. I see the environmental science books are also of the non-white-washed variety.

[Lobo27]

9. Yeah, we have to support them down here.

I'm afraid they may get targeted by RW or Christian groups.

[BlueJazz]

2. Happy

[seabeyond]

5. how many years is this? now, next year can we avoid the... everyone in texas want to make their

kids stupid, bullshit? every year people start threads running around with hair on fire that texas is doing this and that with the books. every year it is voted down. every year people are saying this is what our kids are learning in school. and every year i have to call bullshit.

[cynatnite]

12. Texas and California drive the textbook market...

I do twist my hair in knots because I worry my kid is going to get taught this BS if these nuts get their way.

It's great that it gets voted down, but I'm not going to stop being nervous when some nutjobs threatens my child's education with their creationist crap.

Plus, it's Texas. Let's not forget what they've given the women and the poor of their state.

[seabeyond]

13. i was concerned the first year. handedly slapped down. i watched my boys go thru tx

school system. not only was it not taught int eh schools, whenever a student try to bring it in discussion, in class, the teachers slapped it down. i am not concerned. but it is the hyperbole that we hear eveyr time we go thru this.

see see tx, see what the kids are learning. it is crap. they havent and they arent, and it is not being put in the books.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Uh, as long as this shit keeps coming up.

It's rather important that our kids learn science in science class...
...and not the proclamations of Jesus-drunk culture warriors and flat-Earth bible thumpers.


http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/texas-conservatives-demand-science-textbooks-incorporate-creation-science-based-biblical-pri

Creationists advising the Texas Education Agency, the state’s board of education, are no longer even trying to hide the fact that they want to insert pseudo-scientific material grounded in religious beliefs into public school science textbooks. Terrence Stutz of the Dallas Morning News reports that evolution detractors appointed to the review boards are urging the textbook publishers to ignore the Supreme Court (along with science) and push Creationism, or be rejected.

One of the panelists reviewing the biology textbooks, a nutritionist, said that “creation science based on biblical principles should be incorporated into every biology book that is up for adoption

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20130909-religious-conservatives-criticize-proposed-science-books-for-texas-schools.ece

Religious conservatives serving on state textbook review panels have criticized several proposed high school biology textbooks for not including arguments against Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The review panels include several creationists. They urge the State Board of Education to reject the books unless publishers include more disclaimers on key concepts of evolution.

[font size=1]As State Board of Education chairwoman, Gail Lowe nominated nearly a third of the state's 28 biology textbook reviewers. A social conservative and creationist, Lowe was defeated in her re-election bid last year.[/font]



it sounds to me like your top priority as an education-concerned Texan should be getting these pinheads off the biology textbook review board, not criticizing people on DU who report about the situation.

[seabeyond]

26. uhhhh. ya, cause warren, in all my years i have totally fuckin embraced dummying down our kids.

not my point. not what i said. and you know what dude, .... kinda like putting fuckin words in my mouth and twisting it all around and spitting it out again.

fuck

[Warren DeMontague]

27. Huh?

Maybe you should read my post again. Ever heard the expression it's not about YOU?

You asked why this keeps coming up- the answer, clearly, is that Rick Perry appointed this Gail Lowe, who proceeded to pack the biology review board with these crazy culture war types.

As a Texan self-admittedly concerned about education, as you must know Texas determines curriculum standards for larger markets based on its sheer size. So its an issue, and it's "going to keep coming up" as long as these people are on the book review board.

None of that is "putting words in your mouth". DU has some real experts at that game, but I'm not one of them.

[NealK]

7. Perfect. K&R

[MyNameGoesHere]

8. Now our children is learning.

Couldn't help myself.

[cloudbase]

10. Just to balance that out,

Algebra II will no longer be a requirement for graduation.

[DhhD]

19. True. Get upper math and science out of the curriculum then you get the post secondary educators

and scientist/teachers out of Texas public schools preparation, curriculum, and hearings. Churchstaters will be back as soon as they get rid of Chemistry, Physics and Algebra II. Oh that has already happened so they are just waiting now for the 7 to 8 year life of the new textbook to expire. The real goals is the Voucher System for the turn over of public education schools and their funding to religious schools. A Voucher Education System has been found unconstitutional in Louisiana. Maybe that will shut them up for good.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/07/bobby-jindal-school-vouchers_n_3231136.html

[Major Nikon]

11. Our last state school board chairman was convinced the earth is 6,000 yrs old

Our illustrious governor, who himself almost flunked out of animal husbandry from an agricultural university, appointed that flat earth loon. It's embarrassing that we even have this 'debate'. Ignorance and stupidity are considered virtues around here. Education and intellectualism are suspect and shunned.

[citizen blues]

14. Texas may have realized that the unscientific are a losing proposition...

for the publishing companies. Some school districts have chosen to provide every child with an ipad instead of spending the money on garbage text books.

[ReRe]

15. Thanks, Archae, for this fabulous news!

[blkmusclmachine]

16. The Buybull beaters NEVER give up trying to replace Science with the Buybull. We must be vigilant!

[Igel]

17. Of course. It wasn't a question.

It was a worry, but only to those that pay attention for about five minutes every few years but like being outraged.

The fundies speak--mostly because compelling silence would be the state forcing somebody not to speak when they have a right to speak. But they're pretty much mostly ignored by everybody else.

The backing down from some of the testing and other graduation requirements is more problematic. But since most would celebrate abandoning Common Core and being able to say, "We don't need no testing--all teachers like teaching to the standards and keeping the rigor of the standards that they've agreed to teach!" that's not likely to be viewed as a problem.

Except that those people will be concerned when these things aren't taught. Technology supports the other cultures. Too many kids already regard a lot of technology as a kind of magic. This leads to inanities in what they think and what they do. And leads to additional stupidities when they're asked to participate in making informed judgments, political or otherwise, in a technologically advanced age.

[seabeyond]

18. 4 x 4. i do not like it. i have always been on academic side. but i really do not like the 4 x 4.

not everyone excels in math and science. some science is doable for those not math oriented. others, not so much. one child struggled thru and did well enough. up to pre calculus. but my second child, who is no more math oriented, is not gonna walk the same path.

i think the 4 x 4 is a bad idea.

[CFLDem]

20. "Texas creationists lose"

Since when were they winners?

[Cha]

21. Kick for Reality!!

[mountain grammy]

22. Thank Science!

[RagAss]

23. Heeee Fucking Hawwww !

Congrats Texas - you won't be teaching fairy tales to American children. Isn't that a giant leap forward.
What's next ? No blood letting in med school ?

[hrmjustin]

24. k&r.

[Initech]

28. It's evolution baby!!!!