Mytzlplk
Governor
the need is apparently so great it's being dealt with as an emergency.
SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf/2013-14 int/hb/HB1674 int.doc
Under new legislation proposed by Oklahoma Republicans, teachers would be prohibited from punishing a student for turning in a science paper that in no way reflects science.
This is of course wholly unsurprising, given the way the rightwing, fact-averse, anti-science crew has long to our collective detriment, promoted the dummification of America largely based xtianity/bible-based beliefs that they largely only pay lip service to in terms of the substantive moral lessons to be learned therefrom and therein. In a way it's kinda analogous to the state of our so-called and omnipotent "liberal", "he said/she said media", and what they call and what all too often passes for "objectivity" these days. http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/27...et-objectivity-can-we-have-a-fact-based-media While they may be entitled/have a right to be stupid, which of course they do proudly, profusely, and shamelessly, they have no right with which to lay claim to equal merit or respect for the product of their stupidity.
It seems to me that this law must apparently be intended to insulate the students from Fs on their work, as opposed to simple discussions that might take place between the teacher and student, etc, because there's no other need for such a law. They can only be penalized on their work, and fairy tales like creationism have no place in a science classroom.
via Mother Jones
In biology class, public school students can’t generally argue that dinosaurs and people ran around Earth at the same time, at least not without risking a big fat F. But that could soon change for kids in Oklahoma: On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Common Education committee is expected to consider a House bill that would forbid teachers from penalizing students who turn in papers attempting to debunk almost universally accepted scientific theories such as biological evolution and anthropogenic (human-driven) climate change. [...]
Gus Blackwell, the Republican state representative who introduced the bill, insists that his legislation has nothing to do with religion; it simply encourages scientific exploration. “I proposed this bill because there are teachers and students who may be afraid of going against what they see in their textbooks,” says Blackwell, who previously spent 20 years working for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
http://bobcesca.thedailybanter.com/...g-jesus-rode-a-dinosaur-in-science-class.html
This is of course wholly unsurprising, given the way the rightwing, fact-averse, anti-science crew has long to our collective detriment, promoted the dummification of America largely based xtianity/bible-based beliefs that they largely only pay lip service to in terms of the substantive moral lessons to be learned therefrom and therein. In a way it's kinda analogous to the state of our so-called and omnipotent "liberal", "he said/she said media", and what they call and what all too often passes for "objectivity" these days. http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/27...et-objectivity-can-we-have-a-fact-based-media While they may be entitled/have a right to be stupid, which of course they do proudly, profusely, and shamelessly, they have no right with which to lay claim to equal merit or respect for the product of their stupidity.
It seems to me that this law must apparently be intended to insulate the students from Fs on their work, as opposed to simple discussions that might take place between the teacher and student, etc, because there's no other need for such a law. They can only be penalized on their work, and fairy tales like creationism have no place in a science classroom.
via Mother Jones
In biology class, public school students can’t generally argue that dinosaurs and people ran around Earth at the same time, at least not without risking a big fat F. But that could soon change for kids in Oklahoma: On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Common Education committee is expected to consider a House bill that would forbid teachers from penalizing students who turn in papers attempting to debunk almost universally accepted scientific theories such as biological evolution and anthropogenic (human-driven) climate change. [...]
Gus Blackwell, the Republican state representative who introduced the bill, insists that his legislation has nothing to do with religion; it simply encourages scientific exploration. “I proposed this bill because there are teachers and students who may be afraid of going against what they see in their textbooks,” says Blackwell, who previously spent 20 years working for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
http://bobcesca.thedailybanter.com/...g-jesus-rode-a-dinosaur-in-science-class.html
