Anti-Evolution "Academic Freedom" Bill Passed In Louisiana

Ars Technica is running a story about recently enacted legislation in Louisiana which will allow school board officials to "approve supplemental classroom materials specifically for the critique of scientific theories" such as evolution and global warming. The full text of the Act (PDF) is also available. Quoting: "The text of the [Louisiana Science Education Act] suggests that it's intended to foster critical thinking, calling on the state Board of Education to '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.' Unfortunately, it's remarkably selective in its suggestion of topics that need critical thinking, as it cites scientific subjects 'including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.'"

Comments

Why do some feel the need to defend evolution?

[NotInTheBox]

Developing critical thinking can only lead to beter science and might be one of the best skills that anyone should learn. There is a lot of junk science and cargo cult science out there which is generally accepted by educated people: some is obvious, most is less so.

I don't understand why anyone would consider it necessary to protect/defend evolution against or all things critical thinking.

Re:Weren't schools were supposed to do that alread

[pbhj]

And this is precisely why it isn't science. Creationism says "God did it" without any way to test it.

Ever heard of an axiom? It's the basis of all logic, mathematics and scientific discourse. This is an axiom, it's objectively untestable.

Re:And here we go again

[Thiez]

Most of those happened a long time ago. You can't hold that against the people who are in charge today. I'm sure everyone on /. has at least a dozen murderers among their ancestors, but I don't see you complaining about that.

Hello

[Sam36]

Evolution is a ploy to keep simple minded people happy. Just like all sciences, it is there to make money. It explains nothing if you really think about it. But you don't think about it. You just bash everything and demand that your ideas are the absolute black and white truth. And when comparing your self to religion you automatically put your self on top. To think the whole world came into existence based on cells is something science fiction. I have taken biology 1 & 2. There was a heck of alot of theories that were presented as facts in those books. I am sure they had nothing else to go on. I think as science continues to fail, that there will be a large religious movement in the future. Because people will finally have the real truth that they need.

Re:Weren't schools were supposed to do that alread

[Scrameustache]

What happens when the Juggernaut (can't be stopped) charges into the Blob (can't be moved)?

Goatse?

Re:Except evolution is not a theory...

[plasmacutter]

yes but evolution claims to apply to all creatures.

the problem is some of them (approx 99.8% of all which have ever lived) are extinct.

so, the point stands, there is no way to prove it applys to all creatures.

It's a really really good bet it does, but there's no way to prove it as fact.

Re:And here we go again

[dfetter]

Please feel free to move to Somalia if like libertarians and other Repugnicans, you're against effective government. FEMA was, until it got staffed with loyal but totally unqualified "heck of a job" Bushies, an extremely effective and cheap agency.

We people of good will are sick and goddamned tired of the "piss down your back and tell you it's raining" style of anarchy, and we're removing the source. Have fun being powerless for a couple of generations :)