Friday, April 15, 2005
Coalition Defends Quality Science Education in Kansas
Four organizations dedicated to quality education have formed a coalition in response to recent attacks on quality science education in Kansas. The Kansas Academy of Science, Kansas Citizens For Science, Kansas Families United for Public Education, and The MAINstream Coalition have united to issue a Position Paper on the State Science Standards in support of the work of the state science standards committee and in opposition to the upcoming “science hearings” to be held by three conservative members of the Kansas Board of Education.
The three, Steve Abrams, Kathy Martin, and Connie Morris, are all opposed to evolution and in support of creationism. They propose to question “witnesses” who will testify for and against evolutionary theory, ostensibly in order to decide whether to accept the science standards adopted by the state 25-member Science Standards Writing Committee or to include content from the minority report presented by the eight Intelligent Design creationists on the committee.
Coalition members have resolved to boycott these “science hearings.” Scientists around the nation are supporting the boycott, refusing to participate in what they consider a “kangaroo court” in which the outcome is a foregone conclusion: science standards which do not support teaching evolution as it is understood and used around the world.
The Intelligent Design creationists have called 23 witnesses who will participate, at tax-payer expense, under the direction of retired trial lawyer John Calvert, head of the Intelligent Design Network, Inc.
These “science hearings” will be nothing but a tax-supported showcase for Intelligent Design creationism. The science, religious, and educational communities will not remain silent, however.
The coalition is planning a number of events to present their views outside the “hearings” process. Details will be announced as they are available. “Intelligent Design Creationism is a theological idea, which the Constitution does not allow to be taught in public school science classes,” said Harry McDonald, President of Kansas Citizens For Science.
“Our young people need to learn useful science, not religiously based ideas like Intelligent Design Creationism, in science classes," says McDonald. "The future is in bioscience, and we want our young people to be part of that future.”
The three, Steve Abrams, Kathy Martin, and Connie Morris, are all opposed to evolution and in support of creationism. They propose to question “witnesses” who will testify for and against evolutionary theory, ostensibly in order to decide whether to accept the science standards adopted by the state 25-member Science Standards Writing Committee or to include content from the minority report presented by the eight Intelligent Design creationists on the committee.
Coalition members have resolved to boycott these “science hearings.” Scientists around the nation are supporting the boycott, refusing to participate in what they consider a “kangaroo court” in which the outcome is a foregone conclusion: science standards which do not support teaching evolution as it is understood and used around the world.
The Intelligent Design creationists have called 23 witnesses who will participate, at tax-payer expense, under the direction of retired trial lawyer John Calvert, head of the Intelligent Design Network, Inc.
These “science hearings” will be nothing but a tax-supported showcase for Intelligent Design creationism. The science, religious, and educational communities will not remain silent, however.
The coalition is planning a number of events to present their views outside the “hearings” process. Details will be announced as they are available. “Intelligent Design Creationism is a theological idea, which the Constitution does not allow to be taught in public school science classes,” said Harry McDonald, President of Kansas Citizens For Science.
“Our young people need to learn useful science, not religiously based ideas like Intelligent Design Creationism, in science classes," says McDonald. "The future is in bioscience, and we want our young people to be part of that future.”
