Saturday, November 12, 2005
Kansas and Ohio: Same War, Different Fronts
RSR has been utterly swamped by the tsunami of news coming out of Dover and Kansas the last couple of weeks. That's why we missed this initially, but still think it's important to come back to, even if a little late.
Ohio remains a key battleground in the war between social conservatives who want to gut science education and those of us in the reality-based community.
Last Sunday, Barbara Hollingsworth writing in the Topeka Capital-Journal (Registration required), noted that Kansas is looking to the Ohio standards:
Ohio remains a key battleground in the war between social conservatives who want to gut science education and those of us in the reality-based community.
Last Sunday, Barbara Hollingsworth writing in the Topeka Capital-Journal (Registration required), noted that Kansas is looking to the Ohio standards:
Whether you see it as a war about science, religion or politics, Kansas isn't the only battleground over the theory of evolution...
In 2002, the Ohio State Board of Education approved science standards that encourage students to learn criticisms about biological evolution. Despite swirling controversy, a last-minute compromise saying the standards didn't mandate teaching intelligent design helped the document win unanimous approval.
Similar language -- pushed for by some of the same people -- is used in the Kansas standards that are expected to be approved this week.
"Shame on them for following us," said Sam Schloemer, an Ohio state board member from Cincinnati. "What happened out here is not very honorable in my opinion."
