Louisiana's new Science Education Act, July 2008

"Digest: Provides that proposed law shall be known as the "Louisiana Science Education Act."

Proposed law requires BESE, upon request of a local school board, to allow and assist teachers, principals, and other school administrators to create and foster an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.

Provides that such assistance shall include support and guidance for teachers regarding effective ways to help students understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review such scientific theories being studied.

Provides that a teacher shall teach material presented in the standard textbook supplied by the school system and thereafter may use textbooks and other instructional materials to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review scientific theories in an objective manner, as permitted by the local school board.

Provides that proposed law shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion.

Requires BESE and local school boards to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act prior to the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year."
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It is a shame that the government should have to pass an Act in order to require this kind of activity to be allowed. It's something that happens in laboratories, colleges, and businesses everyday.

When Einstein applied his Theory of Relativity to the structure of the universe, he found that it predicted either an expanding or contracting universe--something entirely incompatible with the prevailing notion of a static universe at the time. Later Einstein added a term called the "cosmological constant" to his equations so they would make his calculations consistent with a static universe.

He changed his Theory to fit the prevailing scientific thought of his day! A Scientist by the name of Edwin Hubble decided to "understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review" the structure of the universe, and found that it was not static! In 1929, Einstein admitted his mistake.

How many Edwin Hubbles are sitting in classrooms today, that will be encouraged by this Act to understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review, the knowledge they are being presented with in the classroom? Or how many will find a way to alter the information to fit what they are being taught based on the prevailing scientific beliefs?

Unfortunately, there are those who are threatened by this Act. They don't want schoolchildren thinking for themselves, questioning what they are being taught. They want to be able to shove whatever they want into the minds of our kids.

Who are these people?

-The American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS CEO Alan Leshner warned that the bill would "unleash an assault against scientific integrity, leaving students confused about science and unprepared to excel in a modern workforce."
-The ACLU says it will be keeping a close eye on a bill called the Louisiana Science Education Act should it become law.
-The Louisiana Coalition for Science
-Atheist Revolution

What if they were around in 1929 - would they be trying to silence Hubble, or perhaps prevent him from doing his research, or asking his questions? I'm sure there were many scientists who were quite comfortable believing in a static universe, and had their lives shaken by Hubble's results.

Give me the Edwin Hubbles in the classrooms, they're the ones that will make a difference in the world.