[D66] TN science bill protects teachers who allow debate over evolution

[Henk Elegeert]

TN science bill protects teachers who allow debate over
evolution<http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120320/NEWS0201/303200034/TN-science-bill-protects-teachers-who-allow-debate-over-evolution>
"

The Tennessee Senate<http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120316/NEWS01/120316026>
approved
a bill Monday that would encourage teachers and students to debate
evolution in the [image: <b>Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, the sponsor of a bill
seeking to protect teachers who allow students to critique scientific
theories like evolution, meets with a lobbyist after the chamber passed the
measure in Nashville on March 19, 2012. The House passed an earlier version
of the bill and would have to agree to changes before the measure can head
for the governor's desk.</b>]classroom, setting aside complaints that the
measure would drag the state back onto the battleground over the teaching
of creationism.

Senators voted 24-8 to pass a bill that says schoolteachers cannot be
punished for “helping students to understand, analyze, critique and review
in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses
of existing scientific theories” taught in public schools.

The measure has drawn strong opposition from the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, the National Center for Science Education and
the American Civil Liberties Union, which said it is cover for teachers who
want to teach creationism or intelligent design. Supporters said the
measure would give teachers more guidance to answer students’ questions
about science topics.

“The idea behind this bill is that students should be encouraged to
challenge current scientific thought and theory,” said state Sen. Bo
Watson, R-Hixson.

The vote sent the bill back to the state House of Representatives, which
passed a similar measure a year ago. Gov. Bill
Haslam<http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120319/NEWS04/120319011>
told
reporters earlier Monday that he would discuss the bill with the state
Board of Education.

“It is a fair question what the General Assembly’s role is,” he said.
“That’s why we have a state board of education.”

The issue of evolution had been largely dormant for the last year before
moving quickly to the floor of the Senate in the past few days. The measure
passed the House in April but did not come up in the Senate until last
week, when the Education Committee approved an amended version and sent it
to the floor for a full vote.

Watson, the measure’s sponsor, said the bill would not interfere with the
state’s science curriculum — which includes evolution — and noted the
measure explicitly bars teachers from bringing up their religious views. He
said the measure was needed so teachers can answer students’ questions,
including those that were rooted in their personal beliefs.

“Students often have questions about those theories,” Watson said. “Some of
those questions come from their own knowledge. Some of those questions come
from knowledge that they have gained in their community.”

But Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, noted the state’s history as a
battleground over evolution — the so-called Scopes Monkey
Trial<http://www.rheacounty.com/scopestrial.htmll> in
1925 drew national attention and inspired the Oscar-winning film *Inherit
the Wind* — and said the measure would cast Tennessee in a bad light.

“We’re simply dredging up the problems of our past with this bill that will
affect our future,” he said.

Berke also questioned the appropriateness of teachers’ answering questions
rooted in religion.

“I’m a person of my faith,” he said. “If my children ask, ‘How does that
mesh with my faith?’ I don’t want their teacher answering that question.”
"

Datum nog maar een keer checken, maar idd: 4:28 AM, Mar. 20, *2012 *:))

Zie ik hier: "Inherit the Wind (1960 <http://www.imdb.com/year/1960/>) " (
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053946/) weer eens langskomen?

Henk Elegeert
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