Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Supernaturalistic Pseudoscience

I heart the National Center for Science Education. The NCSE is a group, based in Oakland, CA, dedicated to upholding the teaching of evolution in public schools. Eugenie Scott, the Director, has appeared on NPR and has written about evolution and creationism. I get their weekly news updates, and this blurb comes from one a week or so ago.
Wisconsin Proposes Anti-creationism Legislation


At a press conference in Madison, Wisconsin, on February 7, 2006, state representative Terese Berceau (D-District 76) announced her intention to introduce legislation in the state assembly which would, if enacted, prohibit the teaching of supernaturalistic pseudoscience in the science classrooms of the state's public schools. The Madison Capital Times (February 7, 2006) reported that Berceau's bill would "require that anything presented as science in the classroom be testable as a scientific hypothesis and pertain to natural, not supernatural, processes. The material would also have to be consistent with any description of science adopted by the National Academy of Sciences."


I'm not sure that there's an ice-cube's chance in hell that this legislation will ever be enacted, but it warms the cockles of my heart to think that somewhere a legislator (yes, one of those publicly elected fools) is standing up and trying to do something about this ridicuous trend in American education.

5 comments:

Megan Frampton said...

Man, is our country fucked or what? Good for Terese. I hate zealots.

Anonymous said...

Yay! I'm so proud of scientists and teachers and now legislators who are pushing back against the teaching of intelligent design in public schools as science.

CindyS said...

I was watching Still Standing on TV tonight and there is a teenage girl on the show. Her father is trying to talk more with her so he asks her what's new in her life.

She responds 'I was having a hard time in science but now, whenever I'm asked a question I don't know the answer to I can just say God did it.' I laughed my ass off!

I'm all for religious freedom but that has nothing to do with education. Religion is personal and should be kept that way.

CindyS

Anonymous said...

At the very least, it will draw a line in the sand. Folks there will know which of their legislators stand for science and solid education, and which ones stand for faith-based pseudoscience.

Suisan said...

I just wish this whole thing had a chance of passing. I agree that it will be a good way for voters to monitor where their politicians stand, but really, I hope it can make it out of committee.

Whish I don't think will happen.

Maybe it will start a trend though....