TCS: Politicization of Science Education Continues in Texas

In a press release, Texas Citizens for Science reports: The recent adoption of new supplemental science instructional materials by the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) was largely a victory for science. Although the biology curriculum standards were unfortunately damaged in 2009 by a politically radicalized majority of SBOE members who inserted four new standards […]

Defending science, history, etc.: A promising precedent?

It seems to me that the case of David Rudovsky and Leonard Sosnov v. West Publishing Corporation (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 2010), provides an intruiging suggestion for defending genuine science and social studies materials for school curriculum. A December 21 article in the Philadelphia Inquirer reports the outcome of this case. In […]

Texas bill to politicize curricula

A new bill in the Texas legislature would politicize curricula by reversing legislative action which had previously vested authority over selection of supplementary materials to the Texas Education Agency, removing that authority from the Texas State Board of Education [SBOE].

Louisiana Panel Endorses Textbooks, Despite Evolution Critics

Louisiana Panel Endorses Textbooks, Despite Evolution Critics.

New book on teaching evolution or creationism in US classrooms

This post is simply to call attention to Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America’s Classrooms, an important new book by Michael Berkman and Eric Plutzer. As described at Amazon.com: Who should decide what children are taught in school? This question lies at the heart of the evolution-creation wars that have become a regular feature […]

wingnuts cry “bias” on AP report (with links to audio and video)

At a right-wing blog titled “Wolf Howling,” there’s a post titled “AP Goes APE Over Texas School Book Changes,” attacking April Castro for her coverage of the Texas State Board of Education’s demolition of the state’s social studies standards. “Wolfhowling” writes: The author, Ms. Castro, does not want to admit that what we are seeing […]

Ruse on Fodor, Nagel, Plantinga

This week’s Chronicle [of Higher Education] Review features a long piece by Michael Ruse with the title, “Philosophers Rip Darwin.” The occasion for Ruse’s article is  “the publication of a new book by Jerry A. Fodor, a professor of philosophy at Rutgers University, and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini, a professor of cognitive science at the University of […]

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“:

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 […]

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 […]

Comer decision appealed

added 8/31/2009: The case of the banned band T-shirts in Missouri may be eerily related to this case. ========= 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 […]

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 […]

Dembski’s students: Trolling for Grades

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

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 […]

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 […]

McLeroy: We don’t need no evolution

Video and audio of the confirmation hearing on McLeroy’s renomination as Chairman of the Texas State Board of Education are now available and linked here. Here I will just excerpt one point-counterpoint between McLeroy’s testimony and that of Professor Arturo De Lozanne. Throughout these hearings, McLeroy and other creationists have been flatly asserting that it […]