xp - Anti-science bills in Florida
National Center for Science Education
ANTISCIENCE BILLS IN FLORIDA
Two bills introduced in the Florida legislature -- House Bill 899 and
Senate Bill 1018 -- are ostensibly aimed at empowering taxpayers to
object to the use of specific instructional materials in the public
schools, for example on the grounds that they fail to provide "a
noninflammatory, objective, and balanced viewpoint on issues." There
is reason to believe that evolution and climate change are among the
targets.
According to the Naples Daily News (December 22, 2015), "The identical
bills are the work of the Florida Citizens' Alliance and Better
Collier County Public Schools." Both organizations are opposed to the
Common Core standards for English language arts and mathematics and
have been feuding with the Collier County School Board over the
curricula and textbooks used in the district, especially with regard
to history.
Florida Citizens' Alliance's website complains of a world history
textbook that in it "Darwin's conclusions presented as fact and
the biblical theory as ludicrous ... states as fact millions of
species exist and fossil records document changes over time. ... while
the biblical explanation claims all species created by God on the same
day," and of an American history textbook that it is "permeate" by
"discussion of climate change."
Currently, Florida parents unhappy with instructional materials are
entitled to complain to their local school board, whose decision is
final. HB 899 and SB 1018, if enacted, would allow any taxpayer to
complain to the local school board, and moreover allow them to appeal
a negative result to a circuit court to seek damages and/or injunctive
relief; the prevailing party in such a case would be entitled to
reasonable attorney fees and costs.
A further provision of the bills is also of concern. Currently,
instructional materials used in Florida's schools must be consistent
with the state science standards. HB 899 and SB 1018 would allow that
instructional materials may be alternatively be consistent with
"standards that are equivalent to or better than the applicable state
standards." No criteria for assessing the relative quality of
standards are provided.
Florida Citizens' Alliance's website recently posted a list of
“Examples of Acceptable/Proven K-12 Standards and Corresponding
Curriculum," which includes a link to something called Freedom Project
Education Classical Judeo-Christian Online Academy, whose high school
biology classes refer to "the Creator God" and use a creationist
textbook (Exploring Creation with Biology, second edition).
The sponsor of SB 1018 is Alan Hays (R-District 11), who, while
serving in the Florida House of Representatives, introduced HB 1483 in
2008. As introduced, the bill was a version of the so-called academic
freedom act; Hays later substituted a one-line version calling on
public schools to provide " thorough presentation and critical
analysis of the scientific theory of evolution." HB 1483 was
eventually tabled.
SB 1018 was filed on December 2, 2015, and referred to the
appropriations and education committees and the appropriations
subcommittee on education. HB 899, sponsored by Ray Pilon (R-District
72), was filed on December 8, 2015, and referred to the education
committee and the education K-12 and appropriations subcommittees.
Florida Citizens for Science is monitoring the bills with concern.
For Florida's House Bill 899 and Senate Bill 1018 as introduced, visit:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0899__.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0899&Session=2016
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2016/1018/BillText/Filed/HTML
For the story in the Naples Daily News, visit:
http://www.naplesnews.com/columnists/news/brent-batten/brent-batten-activists-look-to-change-buy-the-book-procedures--15e841a4-1c83-34a1-e053-0100007fc74b-363163571.html
And for Florida Citizens for Science's website and blog, visit:
http://www.flascience.org
http://www.flascience.org/wp/
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