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9:43 am CST - March 30, 2009
Posted under Opinion
Huge Education Victory for Texas Students
Ken Mercer, Texas State Board of Education (SBOE)
“If our students do not feel the freedom to simply raise their hand and ask a question in science class, then we are no longer living in the United States of America.”
Common sense, combined with the pressure of at least 14,000 constituent communications in favor of allowing students to discuss all sides of science theories, finally prevailed.
On Thursday at the Texas State Board of Education meeting, I moved to restore the twenty-year standard of “strengths and weaknesses” to the new science TEKS (standards). These standards will guide teachers and textbooks for the next ten years. My motion failed by a 7-7 vote.
The radical liberals, Darwinists, atheists, and secular humanists attending the meeting from around the country quickly claimed victory and congratulated themselves; the print and TV reporters ran to file their stories.
By Friday afternoon, however, these same people’s language had “evolved” (pardon the pun) to words and remarks that cannot be put in print.
Friday morning, my fellow conservative board member, Cynthia Dunbar (R- Richmond), proposed a final amendment to the language. After two slight language amendments to Dunbar’s motion by two other Board members, the majority of the Board united behind the amendment and voted 13-2 to pass the final TEKS language regarding science curriculum.
The language passed with the following statement:
In all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations so as to encourage critical thinking by the students.
Clearly, the important legislative intent is to protect the academic freedom of Texas students. Our students should no longer feel “chilled” from having class discussions about both the strengths and weaknesses of scientific theories, including evolution.
Every conservative organization present, including Texas Eagle Forum and Free Market Foundation, applauded this new language as a huge victory for Texas students.
Texas School Law Attorney, Kelly Coghlan, while disappointed that the important word “weaknesses” was deleted, stated:
“Textbooks and teachers will be required to teach ‘all sides’ (scientific evidence both for and against, supportive and not supportive) of a scientific theory. I believe the new language implicitly requires that weaknesses be taught and is just as strong as the old language.”
Yes, I realize some of the print media reported the story incorrectly; they should have stayed around long enough to get their facts straight and to hear the heated and offensive remarks made by the liberal opposition when the final Science TEKS language was approved.
The headline on the website for Texans for Better Science Education stated it best:
“Darwinist monopoly on public schools decisively broken in Texas…Darwinists confused…Militant Secular Humanists outraged”
The Wall Street Journal reported correctly on Saturday:
“The Texas Board of Education approved a science curriculum that opens the door for teachers and textbooks to raise doubts about evolution.”
In conclusion, my favorite memory was a remark from one of the California atheists who sat behind my desk on the floor of the SBOE. After we passed one historic amendment after another, this atheist cried out: “Oh my God!” I could not have stated it better myself.
7 Comments
CWJensen
3:01 pm CST
March 30, 2009
I was NOT aware we had banned asking questions?
BJ Bixler
3:55 pm CST
March 30, 2009
Hip, Hip, Hooray! Texas students are the real winners of this vote. May academic FREEDOM continue to prevail in Texas.
Pat Boyd
6:51 pm CST
March 30, 2009
If it had gone the way it was in the beginning, questions from students could not have been answered. Teachers would have been restricted from discussing a student’s issue with weaknesses in a theory. The wording that was accepted by the majority of the SBOE is freedom in action, and the Board should be commended for not giving in to radical groups. It is so great to be a TEXAN.
Betty Taylor
10:43 pm CST
March 30, 2009
I’m thankful our founding fathers were not forbidden to use “Logical reasoning” when writing the Declaration of Independence (ie: “nature’s God; Creator”)
The whole answer to atheist’s dilemma lies in Romans 1: 18-36. “even though they KNEW God, they did not honor Him as God, nor give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations..(v. 21)
TC
1:12 pm CST
March 30, 2009
Ken we prayed and God answered and that is that…glory be to the God of Creation for who we serve.AMEN!
Joseph Allen Kozuh
2:48 am CST
March 30, 2009
In Galileo’s time, it was wrong for SCIENCE to be determined by “Religious Consensus” or “Political Consensus”; in our time, it is equally wrong for SCIENCE to be determined by a “Consensus of theoretical opinions among Scientist” without hard EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE that can be replicated by other interested Scientists. Like it or not, Scientists are just as BIAS as Religious Leaders and Politicians; Scientists have ego’s and ambitions and apply peer pressure. This is why, for empirical sciences like BIOLOGY, the Scientific Method requires hard EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE that can be replicated by other interested Scientists. A Scientist who is faithful to the Scientific Method will NEVER say “Blindly trust us; we are the EXPERTS; 60% of us believe in Global Warming; 80% of us believe in MACRO-Evolution; therefore, you MUST blindly agree with our theoretical Consensus.”
Marilyn
9:04 am CST
March 30, 2009
Wonderful! I had read the earlier reports & was so disappointed. This is a reall victory for the whole country. Why should any American be denied the right to question and discuss an issue? Maybe this will eventually filter UP to colleges & universities. Right on, Texas!!!
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