Oklahoma Update

I just read "Oklahoma bill to promote intelligent design talk fails" and in my opinion the headline should have been "Oklahoma Wins!"

By a vote of 7-6, Oklahoma's Senate Education Committee defeated Sen. Randy Brogdon's Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act. I wonder how the Discovery Institute, who 'helped' author this bill, like they did in other states, will knee-jerk react. I can see it now "But Oklahoma wasn't encouraging Intelligent Design' after they only read the headline. Poor DI, it looks like some people can read your motives rather than just the words on the paper.

Another state that recognized these so-called academic freedom bills have nothing to do with academic freedom! Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-McAlester called it a "subterfuge that would lead to teaching of theories based on religious viewpoints and not science."

Sen. Jim Halligan, R-Stillwater, objected to a provision he said "would allow students to refuse to answer test questions on a subject because they did not believe what was being taught in textbooks."

Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it! These bills not only do not improve the science education of our children, but push a religious agenda that has been deemed illegal! Plus how do you hold students accountable if they have to right to disagree with the information in the textbook! I, and many others, have been asking these questions and Oklahoma apparently listened.

Of course you can bet this won't be the end of it. It will get re-introduced, probably after evolving into the next Discovery Institute tactic. I mean after Creationism failed the legal challenge the name was changed to 'Creation Science', its failure was followed by followed by 'Intelligent Design', well documented during the Dover PA trial. Its failure has led to other tactics, such as 'Free Speech', "Teach the Controversy', and now 'Academic Freedom'. You can bet the proponents of pushing a religious agenda no matter what damage it does to education will be back in the future!

Keep science in the science classroom! Send a message to the Discovery Institute that their not-well-hidden agenda is exposed to the light of day! Let other states know the right path to take in protecting education! Particularly that rather large neighbor to your south. Remember folks, Texas votes next month!