California votes to reject Texas history curriculum (HOORAY!)

[anthroguy101]

I am greatly excited: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/31/calif-votes-to-reject-texas-textbook-changes/

THANK YOU, CALIFORNIA!

[northoftheborder]

1. Yea..... California good sense.!!!!!

[ThomasQED]

2. Doesn't this mean Texas won't produce the rightwing fantasy textbooks?

I think I read before that if California rejects them, Texas will be forced to adopt something else because California is the biggest buyer of textbooks or something like that... looking for the article now.

[w8liftinglady]

4. man,I hope so....hopefully Bill White will beat Perry...and it will become a non-issue

[ThomasQED]

6. Would he really have any say in the matter?

[DrDan]

3. good for California. . . . hope the other states take notice

[Omaha Steve]

5. The Grape Boycott will continue to be in the Ca. lesson books!

Woo hoo. See my avatar. Close to my heart. K&R!

OS

[Loki]

7. Now if Texas adopts new science standards allowing for

teaching "intelligent design" science and downplaying Darwin's theory of evolution, I want colleges to start reviewing science credits from Texas high schools and calling them "inadequate" for admission. That might get the religious whack jobs attention on our idiot Board of Education. Get out and vote for Bill White for Governor of Texas.

[exboyfil]

8. I just bought my daughters the Miller and Levine High School

Biology book so they don't have to haul their school copy home (it is a massive book). Both authors have appeared in many debates fighting off Creationists/Intelligence Designers. I got to wonder what they will do if Texas requires a "sanitized" version of their text. Will they refuse or can the publisher cut their book apart without their permission?

I guess I would not be against adding some side panels on the debate. ID has about a couple of areas in which they can make arguments (actually it is pointing out the insufficiency of current scientific thought). The strongest being the lack of a origin of life mechanism. The other being the irreducible complexity argument. Both are active areas of exploration for scientists with scientists already knocking down many irreducible complexity examples. To avoid a strawman someone like Behe should write the panel for ID while Levine or Miller could write the response.

[Loki]

9. The Texas State School Board doesn't live in that nice world

you describe in your very reasoned argument. Your children are called "not a good Christian" if they have reasoning skills above 2nd grade when it comes to science education and evolutionary theory in this state. Some time ago I watched a Frontline program and it's worth passing this link along to anyone who would like to see what happens when "creationism" or "intelligent design" tries to makes its way into our public school systems.

If you have time, it's worth the watch just for the sake of gaining insight to their side.

http://video.pbs.org/video/980040807/

[exboyfil]

11. I remember watching the first part

and it looked like the Board member just counted the number of times Darwin or Natural Selection appeared. No attempt to even read and understand what was being written. Kind of reminded me of a good old fashioned 16th century book burning (or Bruno burning in some cases).

I am probably a little too conservative when it comes to some social and economic issues for this board, but one thing I do hate is intellectual dishonesty/craziness. A recent conservative blogger (Pajamas Media) says that the Texas craziness is harming the conservative cause, and he is correct. He stated the evolution craziness is a show stopper for many who would be more conservative or libertarian in their leanings - they just cannot side with such craziness.

My supervisor (a friend of mine for over 20 years) is a believer in a 8,000 year old Earth etc. He is also a very good engineer with a strong analytical mind when solving engineering problems. It is amazing how he twists facts to support his conclusion. It really is pretty scary.

[anthroguy101]

10. 2 the Ranting Grypon has a brilliant rant on the subject

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmz_39GcOZQ