Science Education

You’d have to call an awful lot of prominent scientists ID supporters.

Today an academic freedom bill in the Tennessee State Legislature passed out of the Tennessee House by a vote of 70-23. The journal Science has an online newspiece about the bill which states the following: In a 70-28 vote today, the Tennessee House of Representatives passed HB 368, a bill that encourages science teachers to explore controversial topics without fear of reprisal. Critics say the measure will enable K-12 teachers to present intelligent design and creationism as acceptable alternatives to evolution in the classroom. The bill’s text, if passed into state law, would protect teachers from discipline if they “help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories Read More ›

An academic freedom bill passed out of the Tennessee House Education Committee today by a vote of 9-4. This follows after scientists and educators testified in support of the bill at a hearing 2 weeks ago. The bill states: Neither the state board of education, nor any public elementary or secondary school governing authority, director of schools, school system administrator, or any public elementary or secondary school principal or administrator shall prohibit any teacher in a public school system of this state from helping students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught. As discussed here, a lot of misinformation has been promoted Read More ›