I just spent a micro second performing an exercise in critical thought and decided that Dunn is an idiot.

The only thing objectionable in this bill is the assertion that global warming is a theory. A theory is a grand, overarching idea that makes coherent entire fields of study. Global warming is just a few rudimentary observations pieced together into a simple prediction.

Promoting critical thinking and evidence-based analysis seems wholly desirable and consistent with science eduction. What's the problem with this bill?

David Fowler of FACT, Chattanoogan.com

Certainly intelligent design theory is not without its critics, and if the subject is going to be taught, then discussion of those criticisms is appropriate. But it is also appropriate that students understand that intelligent design is a theory that many scientists are beginning to consider and hold because of the weaknesses in the scientific evidence supporting evolution. In fact, over 850 PhD.-level scientists from some of the finest universities around the world have subscribed to this statement:

We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.

The point is this: We need more science teaching, not less. In fact, today’s evolutionary scientists have become the modern-day equivalents of the legislators who passed the Butler Act. They want to limit even an objective discussion of the scientific strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory.

To correct this problem, state Rep. Bill Dunn and state Sen. Bo Watson have filed legislation (Senate Bill 893/House Bill 368) that would permit science teachers “to help 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.” Note that the law does not require the teaching of intelligent design or creationism since they are not “scientific theories” that are being “covered in the course[s] being taught” in Tennessee. And the law is clear that the teacher is limited to discussing scientific evidence.

But the bill does one more important thing. The bill would make clear that no teacher can be disciplined for helping students evaluate all the evidence on the subject. Such a law in 1925 would have protected John Scopes.

It sounds to me like we are back to a discussion of the two aspects of this law, or any other. The letter of the law and the spirit of the law are what you are disagreeing on. The letter of any given law is where one typically finds an entry point for a variety of unintended consequences. IMO Rikki is arguing that the verbiage of the bill could easily be used for good. Toby and Randy are pointing out that the spirit of the law is anything but good in the context of science education. I will have to side with Toby and Randy here because in my experience, it is all too frequently "unintended consequences". It is the plurality which raises my hackles. Even as team Rikki might be exploiting one unintended consequence, something we do not anticipate might be creating even greater negativity.

I rather doubt that a bill designed by a team of idiots can actually be idiot proofed even by someone as smart as Rikki. In TN, idiocy seems to be the stronger force.

"Having a world class fool like Bill Dunn foisting nonsense bills like this does nothing to help facts..."

Truer words were never spoken.

Haslam dodges questions about the bill...

When I was in school in Knoxville in the late 60's and 70's, you would have been laughed out of school, if you had suggested that the Creation story in Genesis should be taught in science class. Hell, you'd probably have been laughed out of Sunday School (UMC), as well.

An amended version of this bill passed the Senate today. The amendment must be approved by the House before the bill goes to the governor.

Per today's HuffPo, a recent survey of high school biology teachers indicated that 18% of them either endorse or support "theories" of creationism or intelligent design.

It appears that this survey targeted just public high school biology teachers--and we know that the perspective of many (most?) private high school biology teachers serves to push that percentage higher than 18%.

Astounding.

...right upside the head for being deliberately obtuse.

...who didn't even send his children to public schools.

I swear sometimes I think it's 1912 around here, rather than 2012.

But, of course, the upside there would be TR would be running for president...

Couldn't evolution be the process by which an intelligent design is implemented?

Yes, this. But then you can't have the us vs them mindset that manifests itself on so many bumper stickers.

...does this mean we can finally discuss the zoological theory that pairs of all the animal species in the whole world can fit inside a wooden ark in biology class?

When I hear the statement of "I didn't evolve from no monkey!" in my mind I think "You haven't evolved, period."

A woman lost her shit today in a Florida Atlantic University classroom while her professor reviewed evolution for a midterm test. She wanted to know "How does evolution kill black people?"

Ignorance festers in the dark. We have ample evidence that students are not learning what science is nor what evolution is and that even science teachers are not sure what they are supposed to teach. Maybe pretending there is no controversy is not working. I'm sure it's fun to make smug remarks about how dumb people are, but all it does it provide fertilizer.

The bill was drafted for Dunn by the Family Action Council of Tennessee.

with some help:

this is an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model bill, a near miror image of its Orwellian-titled "Environmental Literacy Improvement Act."

However, if you compare the two the "implementation mechanism" or whatever we should call it is completely different. The ALEC model legislation would set up a Council:

. Composition: The Council shall consist of members who have expertise in the following areas in the respective proportions:
40 percent natural sciences (not environmental science)
40 percent economic sciences
20 percent educational curriculum

. The Council shall establish a resource center that lists only those environmental education materials (textbooks, curricula, state programs, and activities) that conform to the purpose of this act. The Council will actively seek countervailing scientific and economic views on environmental issues and make materials that contain these views available to schools, universities, and agencies, which are conducting environmental education programs and activities.

Instead of taking the big government approach in which schools could only use materials that are Council approved, Dunn takes the Jedi mind-trick "there is no government here" approach. I don't really get it at all. I guess kids will learn if we don't interfere just as markets will grow if we don't interfere.

The bill ensures that government (state board of education, public elementary and secondary school governing authorities, directors of schools, school system administrators, and public elementary and secondary school principals and administrators) will

• create an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that encourages students

by directing the government (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) to

• not prohibit any teacher in a public school system of this state from helping students understand

It is a one-page bill and "the department of education shall notify all directors of schools of the provisions of this act. Each director shall notify all employees within the director's school system of the provisions of this act." It shouldn't be too hard to call up someone at the TDOE and see what they plan to tell directors to tell employees when the bill passes, which is pretty much what Haslam told reporters to do.

"It is a fair question what the general assembly's role is," he said. "That's why we have a state board of education."