Kansas And Creationism Redux

Ronald Bailey | August 1, 2006

Today, the good citizens of Kansas will have an opportunity to turn out the creationist idiots who run the Kansas Board of Education. As the Washington Post reports:

Evolution's defenders, working to defeat Kansas Board of Education members who oppose modern Darwinian theory, are challenging three incumbent Republican conservatives and the political heir to a fourth in Tuesday's primary.

A shift of two seats to moderate Republicans -- or to Democrats -- in November almost certainly would lead to a reversal of state science standards celebrated by many religious conservatives and reviled by the scientific establishment.

Here's hoping that common sense triumphs in Kansas today.

For an explanation of what motivates creationists, see my reports from the Creation Mega-Conference: "Creation Summer Camp," here; "The Myth of Millions of Years", here; and, "God Said It, That Settles It," here.

Comments

|8.1.06 @ 2:58PM|#

Why does Ronald Bailey hate God?

|8.1.06 @ 3:12PM|#

Kansas has been down this road before. Some of the creationists will be turned out and superstition will be temporarily routed. But it will be back. It was last time, and it will be this time.

|8.1.06 @ 3:12PM|#

My understanding is that god owes him money.

Larry A|8.1.06 @ 3:16PM|#

Another issue in this year's race is the board vote, by the same 6 to 4 majority, to require students to get their parents' permission before taking sex education. Some board members said sex education should say only that people should abstain from having sex until marriage.

So even if students have their parent's permission, they still don't get any sex education.

Oh, wait. I forgot the Saturday evening experiental lab class.

What the fundamentalists really don't want to admit is that the majority of the oposition to their policies comes from other Christians.

|8.1.06 @ 3:22PM|#

screw it. I used to care about this topic, but if people want to wallow in their own ignorance, let them. stop teaching evolution in high school, and save it for college, which is voluntary.

|8.1.06 @ 3:35PM|#

It's (in part) this process of deciding what will be taught via democratic (read: mob rule) processes that's led me to decide to homeschool my kids.

When the Texas Schoolbook Committee is deciding what racially-aware content is appropriate in a math book, or a state school board is choosing whether to teach kids nothing about sex or to present practical demonstrations in the classroom, it's clear that the only responsible thing I can do as a parent is to withdraw from the whole rotten mess.

And don't get me started on the economics of public education. I'll start frothing.

Chuck|8.1.06 @ 3:36PM|#

Ronald Bailey is just a shill for the anti-creationist industry. Come on, Ron, how much are they paying you? How much stock do you own in evolution companies? Hmmm?

|8.1.06 @ 3:37PM|#

Ron,
I want my two dollars!!

|8.1.06 @ 3:53PM|#

Clean Hands,

I homeschool my son for similar reasons. And he gets all his work done in about two hours, so he has that much more time to do stuff he likes and enjoy his childhood. Plus, we're taking a road trip vacation right after Labor Day and he won't have to make-up any work. The many advantages are probably a big reason why it's becoming more and more popular.

|8.1.06 @ 3:56PM|#

But Les, how am I supposed to teach my child to dynamite apartment complexes when I am busy trying to invent "Randian metal"?

|8.1.06 @ 4:00PM|#

Mmm...ignorance. Sweet, wallowy ignorance.

|8.1.06 @ 4:24PM|#

Randian,

Demolition is a demanding and complex subject. I'd recommend starting with basic sniper skills and then moving on to car bombs before you go with something as ambitious as blowing up apartment buildings. And homeschooling gives you all the time you need!

|8.1.06 @ 4:26PM|#

And homeschooling gives you all the time you need!

Not if I wanted to teach my child "Objectivist Oration skills"...people talk about how kids never shut up now. He'd want to commander a wooden spoon for a microphone for months at a time.

|8.1.06 @ 4:32PM|#

DNA is the earth mother, the life consciousness. When we activate circuit 7 we will understand life.

|8.1.06 @ 4:43PM|#

Whatever daytripper's tripping on, I'd like to see him share with the rest of us...

|8.1.06 @ 4:43PM|#

Wake me when the Kansans toss out all the board members who think that state organized and funded "education" is a good idea.

Kevin

|8.1.06 @ 5:13PM|#

Kevrob,
Perhaps they could just tweak it a little bit, you know spiff it up a bit, give it a new name like "re-education" or some such.

|8.1.06 @ 5:38PM|#

Not if I wanted to teach my child "Objectivist Oration skills"...people talk about how kids never shut up now. He'd want to commander a wooden spoon for a microphone for months at a time.

Good lord, AR! Are you poking fun at Rand? That's the fist step... ;)

nmg|8.1.06 @ 5:45PM|#

I for one hope that the christians stay in place on the kansas school board. This whole situation is a wonderful object lesson for leftists who advocate state control of education.

nmg

|8.1.06 @ 5:52PM|#

Ron is on the payroll of Big Darwin.

Every time an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria evolves, Ron short-sells stock in an antibiotic manufacturer.

|8.1.06 @ 8:00PM|#

I've got a compromise: Just teach evolution-free creationism and abstinence in biology class, and combine evolution and sex ed into a new "Atheist Debauchery" class.

|8.1.06 @ 8:04PM|#

As a native of Tennessee, home of the Scopes trial, I'm more than happy to pass this steaming pile/baton along to Kansas.
Unfortunately, the odor lingers.
Meanwhile, at least we Tennesseans can take comfort--a lot of comfort--from our cousins.

|8.1.06 @ 8:12PM|#

"Just teach evolution-free creationism and abstinence in biology class, and combine evolution and sex ed into a new 'Atheist Debauchery class'"

So, like the impermeable wall between church and state, this would be the wall between science and philosophy?
Works for me.

|8.1.06 @ 8:17PM|#

thoreau,

I have a reliable source who informs me that Ron is also in the pocket of Big Bang.

|8.1.06 @ 8:40PM|#

Just teach evolution-free creationism and abstinence in biology class, and combine evolution and sex ed into a new "Atheist Debauchery" class.

My Debauchery teacher says I'm a natural...

|8.1.06 @ 8:48PM|#

Ron Bailey has a cousin who's a rapper. MC Bailey is in the grip of Big Butts.

|8.1.06 @ 8:48PM|#

"pocket of Big Bang."

pocket?

|8.1.06 @ 8:57PM|#

The name Bailey is no coincidence, you know. He's a descendant of the Bailey in "Barnum and Bailey Circus".

That's right, he's under the sway of Big Tent.

|8.1.06 @ 9:04PM|#

Bailey once told me to take his payola check and shove it.
Had to kneecap him.

|8.1.06 @ 9:08PM|#

"That's right, he's under the sway of Big Tent."

You mean he's a democrat?

|8.1.06 @ 9:09PM|#

Here's hoping that common sense triumphs in Kansas today.

Not something you ever want to bet the farm on, in Kansas or anywhere...

|8.1.06 @ 9:13PM|#

"This whole situation is a wonderful object lesson for leftists who advocate state control of education."

Who knew that 9 out of 10 Americans was a leftist?

|8.1.06 @ 9:29PM|#

joe, I find that statistic a little hard to swallow. State control of education is a fait accompli, but I think resigned acceptance of the situation is the position of at least a sizable minority. That's a far cry from 90% of the population advocating public education.

Clearly, you are in the thrall of. . .Big Government :)

|8.1.06 @ 9:31PM|#

joe,
I'm probably wrong, but yours may have been nonsequeturious??

|8.1.06 @ 11:49PM|#

"Why does Ronald Bailey hate God?"

3,650 wrong lottery numbers

|8.2.06 @ 3:02AM|#

Anti-evolutionists lose in Kansas.

Kevin