Louisiana House Opens Back Door For Religion

The Louisiana House of Representatives has passed their so-called Science Education Act, which is less about science and more about how to allow alternatives to legitimate scientific theories into the classroom. As I've said before, this opens a back door into Louisiana's public schools to not only criticize the theory of evolution, but to provide other sources of material (presumably provided by the Discovery Institute - perhaps under a nom de plume) that will direct students to the intelligent design alternative. Intelligent design (ID) is not a scientific theory. Rather it is a grab bag of examples aimed at poking holes in the theory of evolution...not explicit evidence for ID.

In an article on FoxBusiness.com (business??),

"This bill promotes good science education by protecting the academic freedom of science teachers," said Dr. John West, Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs at Discovery Institute. "Critics who claim the bill promotes religion instead of science either haven't read the bill or are putting up a smokescreen to divert attention from the censorship that has been going on."

I have read the bill and I can see how it leads to religion. Once a teacher brings up Intelligent Design, then expect to see legal action because Intelligent Design = Religion. This isn't my opinion - this is based on the ruling handed down in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case. A conservative judge explicitly said so. Any smokescreen that is laid down will come from the Discovery Institute and other ID proponents because they don't want you to connect the facts which will unavoidably lead you to the same conclusion.

From the Washington Times, we have

"It's not about a certain viewpoint," said supporter Jason Stern, Vice President of the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative group pushing the bill. "It's allowing [teachers] to teach the controversy. It's an academic freedom issue."

Who do you trust more? The Louisiana Family Forum (which is fairly dripping with Christianity), or the Louisiana Science Teachers Association (who have written a largely ignored letter to the legislature requesting the bill not be passed into law)? If this bill isn't about religion, then why did it originate from the Louisiana Family Forum (check their website and see how many examples of religious right witnessing and testifying you can find).

Barbara Forrest has their number:

She said Discovery Institute officials realized courts weren't sympathetic to their cause so they're trying this "academic freedom" tactic.

"What you're seeing in Louisiana right now is the next phase of their strategy," she said.