The Attack on Scientific Truth in Public Schools

[popeyespappy]

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The second proposal in the New Hampshire House, HB 1457, does not mention evolution specifically but would "require science teachers to instruct pupils that proper scientific inquire [sic] results from not committing to any one theory or hypothesis, no matter how firmly it appears to be established, and that scientific and technological innovations based on new evidence can challenge accepted scientific theories or modes."

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What's wrong with this? When I attended my middle school, and even high school (both of which were public) we conducted experiments then came to conclusions, we then compared those conclusions to accepted theories and saw differences and similarities. I'm all for teaching multiple perspectives and theories, if the most evidence falls behind evolution then there is nothing to worry about. I'd rather have my children grow in understanding by negating other theories with evidence as opposed to being taught a single definitive 'fact'.

There’s nothing wrong with the wording you quoted from HB 1457. As you already pointed out that is the way things are done now. It’s been that way for years. Having established that is what is happing now we have to ask what is the purpose of this bill? The answer to that question can be found in one of the quotes from the OP.

The theory of evolution has become a flashpoint for religious conservatives, many of whom argue that the idea of life evolving over billions of years clashes with Biblical beliefs. Republican State Rep. Gary Hopper, who with his Republican district mate John Burt introduced HB 1457, told the Concord Monitor that the theory of evolution teaches students that life is nothing but an accident.

It is an attempt to get the creationist POV presented as an alternative to evolution. That wouldn’t be a problem if they actually had a viable scientific theory, but they don’t. Intelligent design fails starting at the most basic level. We already have a legal decision determining that it isn’t science merely a poorly disguised attempt to teach creationism as science. In order to do that it is legally going to take more than a new law. It is going to take either an amendment to the US Constitution or SCOTUS is going to have to reverse their position on creationism.

There is a distinct difference between a law and a theory, one never changes, and the other does all the time. Nothing wrong with teaching children that knowledge is limited and that nothing is definitively true. In fact, if you take a step back, allowing creationism to be disregarded and negated by the youth as there is no evidence to support it would bring about a great deal of intellectual growth and maturity.

I hope you’re not suggesting that one day theories like evolution or the big bang could become scientific law. If you are I don’t think you understand what laws are because that’s not how things work. Neither of these theories will ever become law no matter how much evidence we have for them. I am also wondering if you understand that evolution is different than theories like the big bang in that evolution is currently both a theory and an observed fact. It is a verified process. We have watched it occur. The fact that the process of evolution has happened can never change regardless of any new discoveries.

I do kind of agree with you on one thing. The disinformation being fed to children by creationists fucktards needs to be addressed. That’s not to say intelligent design should be presented to as a scientific alternative to evolution because to date it does represent a viable scientific theory. Rather it needs to exposed as the crap it is. According to Project 2061, a long-term science education reform initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science we need to be addressing common misconceptions many students may have already formed when teaching science. Debunking intelligent design would be a good place to start.

"Students create strange conceptions about the world from their experiences," Anu Malipatil, a school administrator for a network of charger schools in New York and Connecticut, said in a press release. "It becomes more difficult to teach students without actually addressing the misconception first."

Linky

Project 2061