Bills Aimed at Undermining Teaching of Evolution Filed in Four States

Religion Clause Blog notes the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is following recently introduced bills in Oklahoma, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Indiana.  The Indiana bill would authorize school systems to “require the teaching of various theories concerning the origin of life, including creation science.”  Reviving the tactic used unsucessfully in Edwards v. Aguillard, other proposals style themselves as advancing academic freedom by “promoting critical thinking” and “prohibiting the promotion of a particular belief system.” For example, the Oklahoma bill, SB 1742, prescribes:

The State Board of Education, upon the request of a school district board of education, shall allow and assist teachers, principals, and school administrators in creating an environment within the public school system that promotes critical thinking, logical analysis, open and objective discussion of scientific theories including, but not limited to, evolution, the origin of life, global warming, and human cloning.  Assistance shall include support and guidance for teachers regarding effective ways to help students understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review scientific theories being studied, including those enumerated in this subsection.

In light of efforts like the Oklahoma bill which addresses climate change curricula, the NCSE has launched an initiative to support climate change education in primary and secondary schools. Last week on NPR’s Science Friday NCSE executive director Eugenie Scott outlined how the organization plans to support teachers and parents fighting climate change denial campaigns aimed at public school science instruction.    

JFB