Mass., Va., etc. “students’ religious freedom” bills

There’s “An Act Relative to Protecting the Religious Freedom of Students” pending in the Massachusetts legislature which, according to Antoinette Pizzi reporting in the Cape Cod Times, “has bipartisan support and is expected to pass favorably through the Joint Committee on Education.”
Folks at the National Center for Science Education have taken particular notice of this [...]

Louisiana procedures for disputes over anti-science materials in biology classes

WILL SENTELL of the [Baton Rouge] Advocate Capitol News Bureau reports that “Procedure [have now been] crafted for handling evolution-materials complaints“:

“neutrality” strikes again: banned band shirts in MO (evolution/religion dispute)

A story by Tonya Fennell for the Sedalia (MO) Democrat reports on the action taken by Assistant Superintendent Brad Pollitt in response to complaints from some parents about T-shirts designed for the school marching band’s program, “Brass Evolutions 2009.” Pollitt says he “made the decision to have the band members turn the shirts in after [...]

TCS report on new Texas science standards

A report by Texas Citizens for Science on the Science Standards adopted by TSBOE in March is now posted on the TCS website. Dr. Steven Schafersman, President of TCS, tweets:
New TCS report on Texas science standards just posted on the website. The new standards can be used to improve evolution education if the science textbook [...]

ICR tries again in suit over grad “science ed” degree in Texas

Unwilling to deal with the hilariously hideous complaint that was filed initially by the Institute for Creation Research in their attempt to get accreditation for their graduate degree program in “science education,” the judge ordered ICR to file an amended complaint, and then a second amended complaint, with a maximum page limit of 20 pages.
The [...]

Mooney & the “new atheists”: another round

Another round in the ongoing Neuatheismusstreit was touched off by an opinion piece in the L.A. Times by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum, authors of the new book Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future. They write:
It often appears as though Dawkins and his followers–often dubbed the New Atheists, though some object to the [...]

Comer decision appealed

added 8/31/2009: The case of the banned band T-shirts in Missouri may be eerily related to this case.
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Chris Comer, who was forced out of her job as Science head in the Texas Education Agency for forwarding an email announcement of a talk by Barbara Forrest in Austin, has filed her brief appealing the decision by [...]

NCSE: Science coverage better, but creationism creeping in

A new study by NCSE staff (available in html and pdf) finds improvement in state science standards, marred by the creeping influence of creationist language. Here is the abstract:
In 2000, Lawrence Lerner and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation reviewed state science standards in 49 states and the District of Columbia, specifically with respect to the [...]

Dembski’s students: Trolling for Grades

At Free Range Talk, we find this , on a course being taught by ID proponent William Dembski: 

TX Gov Perry names Gail Lowe to chair State Board of Education

The Associated Press reports that Texas Governor Rick Perry has appointed Gail Lowe, one of the right-wing ideologues on SBOE, to serve as the Board’s chair, now that his first appointment of Don McLeroy failed confirmation in the state senate. … it strikes me that Lowe’s consistently petty partisanship makes McLeroy look like a diplomat and statesman by comparison.

Earth: 6,000 years old, so not at risk from nuclear power (AZ Senator), w/ video

But can there really be a legislative district anywhere in this country that would wan’t somebody like her making the decisions? What does that tell us about the state of education in this country?

Faith and Science: Are They Compatible?

from Steven Schafersman, Ph.D., President, Texas Citizens for Science:
In the last few weeks a tremendous literature has appeared about the compatibility of faith and science.
Go to http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/the-big-accommodatinism-debate-all-relevant-posts/
for links to posts about one of the debates between Jerry Coyne, Chris Mooney, and others. [As of now, it looks like all the posts are linked, but not [...]

McLeroy primary opponent announced

See this article in the Houston Chronicle.
Click here for (many) previous posts on Chairman Mc (some including audio and/or video) on this blog.

McLeroy renomination fails in Texas

As reported by the Austin American-Statesman, Texas Governor Rick Perry’s renomination of Don McLeroy for a second term as Chairman of the State Board of Education was NOT CONFIRMED by the state Senate: “The 19 to 11 party-line vote [Thursday, May 28, 2009] was not enough to get McLeroy across the required two-thirds threshold.”
On other [...]

Luskin on FoxTV: 100% of textbooks wrong on evolution

From Newshounds (“We watch Fox so you don’t have to”):
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/05/07/foxfriends_interview_intelligent_design_spokesman_to_critique_textbook_treatment_of_evolution_fair_and_balanced_or_bizarro_world.php

the Comer decision: What “disputed issues”?

While awaiting news on whether the decision against Chris Comer’s suit against the TEA will be appealed, I have finally gotten around to reading the opinion by District Court Judge Lee Yeakel (not to be confused with the Simpson’s character).
There’s a serious problem in the judge’s analysis (and the TEA’s argument), but to take advantage [...]

Update: appeal v. U Cal win on admissions policy

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) has posted an update on developments in the case of Association of Christian Schools International [ACSI] et al. v. Roman Stearns et al. [The University of California].
The suit was brought against U.Cal. by Christian schools complaining that UC’s refusal to count certain courses in their schools for purposes [...]