A group of Louisiana citizens, believed to be backed by the conservative Christian Louisiana Family Forum, are attacking the state’s proposed biology textbooks because, well, they teach too much evolution.
The Baton Rouge Advocate reported this week that a state panel is scheduled to review the issue Friday after the state’s school board held off adopting the biology I and biology II textbooks due to the complaints.
Winston White, one of the residents who complained about the books, said, “It’s like Charles Darwin and his theory is a saint. You can’t touch it.”
It’s worth noting that White is the son of Darrell White, who was one of the Louisiana Family Forum founders. This move is all part of an ongoing broader strategy, one that the LFF, which is affiliated with Focus on the Family, has been behind since the beginning.
Darrell White also told the Advocate that the textbooks don’t comply with the anti-evolution law known as the “Louisiana Science Education Act,” which the Family Forum helped write and successfully lobbied for in 2008. The LSEA instructs educators to promote “critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.” It also allows teachers and school districts to use “supplemental textbooks,” which are just code words for creationist and pro-intelligent design materials.
Barbara Forrest, a philosophy professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, co-founder of Louisiana Citizens for Science and one of the creationist movement’s most damning critics, said she believes the complaints are merely a tactic to get disclaimers (Warning: These books teach evolution!) added to the textbooks, or pave the way for the inclusion of creationist supplemental materials.
Other people who lodged complaints said they did so because the books didn’t teach intelligent design.
In written comments to state officials, David Mathers, of West Monroe, said he would “like to see intelligent design explained as an alternate theory to the theory of evolution.”
Curt Eberts, of Monroe, made the same point. He faulted a biology textbook he reviewed for lacking material on the concept of intelligent design.
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Louisiana Citizens Attack The State’s Proposed Biology Textbooks. Why Do Atheists Care What Others Believe?
Posted on November 13, 2010.
“said he would “like to see intelligent design explained as an alternate theory to the theory of evolution.”
Well I suppose if ID WERE an alternate theory, then it would be taken as such. But it isn’t. It’s just a fairy tale wrapped in clever sounding words.
It is not a theory, heck, it’s not even a theorem. It’s make believe.
And THAT’S why it should NEVER be allowed in a classroom.
cant wait for that gay loving at the mosque man on man omg!
Some people do not have a basic understanding of science. Intelligent Design is not science, it is wishful thinking.
Atheists care precisely because these other beliefs are being forced into science curricula.
You see what I have to deal with down here in the South?
We are trying to repair the damage done by religion.
“Winston White, one of the residents who complained about the books, said, “It’s like Charles Darwin and his theory is a saint. You can’t touch it.””
I’m sorry, but as long as I hear things like THIS from the US, I don’t see much future for that country. Nor for the religion that man belongs to.
Course you ‘can’t touch it’ – it’s called science, dummy!
If you want to learn so called “intelligent design” why not do it on your own dime? Isn’t that what sunday school is for?
why would any rational person want intelligent design taught in science class. It would be like teaching basket weaving skills in calculus class.
Who knows.
Biology tests would surely be easier, the answer to every question is either “God made it” or occasionally “Satan spawned it”
Interesting. I was under the understanding that the Kitzmiller Trial effectively struck down the legality of teaching creationism/Intelligent Design in high schools. Just goes to show you that Creationists and other far right wing Christians have no respect for the law unless it is something that *they* want.
Well that’s disturbing, but not surprising considering it’s Louisiana. I’ve always thought it’s a shame about that state. It used to be rich in French culture and history. Now it’s all gone, absorbed and almost completely assimilated into the cess pool that makes up most of the south these days.
I care what others believe because I don’t want this planet ruined by morons.
Why do “others” care about what we believe?
well, what’s wrong with
>LSEA instructs educators to promote “critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.”< i can pawn the creation story all day long... though i admit, it should be pawned in comparative religionistics and not in biology.
This atheist cares that our youth should be taught the truth and not lies.
Intelligent design and Creationism are lies. Delaware already went through this in Kitzmiller v.Dover ASD, with ID/Creationism losing very badly.
I hope the same team of lawyers for evolution mobilize again for Louisiana.
Learning can be loud and messy.
cuz they dont wish to repent..