Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Valentine Pontifex · 01-28-2003, 11:39 AM

Several years ago the Oklahoma Textbook Committee introduced required an anti-evolution disclaimer (copied after the Alabama one) be put in textbooks that discuss evolution. It was eventually struck down by the attorney general. There was a brief attempt in the state legislature to reverse this that failed.

HB1504 has been introduced in the State House of Representatives by Bill Graves, R-OKC.

NCSE story
Bill in rich text format from OK State Legislature Web Site

Quote:

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 49th Legislature (2003)

HOUSE BILL HB1504: Graves

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to schools; requiring all textbooks to have an evolution disclaimer; providing the language of the disclaimer; providing for the placement of the disclaimer in textbooks; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 16-121.1 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. All textbooks used by school districts in the state in which evolution is discussed shall include the following disclaimer:
[deletion: the disclaimer]

B. The State Textbook Committee shall determine which textbooks shall include the disclaimer set forth in subsection A of this section. If the disclaimer is not printed in the textbook by the publisher, the State Textbook Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the disclaimer is inserted into any textbook authorized for use in public schools of Oklahoma.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2003.
SECTION 3. 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.

Evolution is being taught in schools. It's an emergency.
:banghead:

(Yeah, I realize that the term "emergency" is generally abused. To make a law take effect immediately it needs to be an emergency and hense almost any thing becomes an emergency.)

There is an email list for the Oklahoma, part of the AIBS/NCSE Evolution List Server Network might send an email to
Listserv@lists.ou.edu with the text SUBSCRIBE OKEVOL-L Do not include a .sig. It is moderated by Victor Hutchison of the OU Department of Zoology.

Albion · 01-28-2003, 12:04 PM

Teaching evolution is dangerous to the public health? Where the hell do they think public health comes from if not from biology and the people trained in it?

RufusAtticus · 01-28-2003, 01:54 PM

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Nickle · 01-28-2003, 01:56 PM

Quote:

"This textbook discusses evolution, a controversial theory which some scientists present as scientific explanation for the origin of living things, such as plants and humans. No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life�s origins should be considered as theory, not fact. The word evolution may refer to many types of changes. Evolution describes changes that occur within a species, for example, white moths may evolve into gray moths. This process is microevolution which can be observed and described as fact. Evolution may also refer to the change of one living thing to another, such as reptiles into birds. This process, called macroevolution has never been observed and should be considered a theory. Evolution also refers to the unproven belief that random, undirected forces produced a world of living things. There are many unanswered questions about the origin of life which are not mentioned in your textbook, including: Why did the major groups of animals suddenly appear in the fossil record, known as the Cambrian Explosion? Why have no new major groups of living things appeared in the fossil record in a long time? Why do major groups of plants and animals have no transitional forms in the fossil record? How did you and all living things come to possess such a complete and complex set of instructions for building a living body? Study hard and keep an open mind. Someday you may contribute to the theories of how living things appeared on earth."

Holy Sheep!

"Warning, science is too complicated for a pamphlet. We recommend discarding it for something easier to understand, like sports. So play football and ignore those scientist. There's a good lad. Go Sooners!!"

Albion · 01-28-2003, 01:58 PM

This is the same as the Alabama disclaimer, isn't it? The wording sounds sickeningly familiar.

Nickle · 01-28-2003, 02:01 PM

Yup.

Valentine Pontifex · 01-28-2003, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Albion
This is the same as the Alabama disclaimer, isn't it? The wording sounds sickeningly familiar.

Yes. In fact I said it was in my post. :-)

Albion · 01-28-2003, 03:45 PM

Sorry - I think my brain just shut down while reading all the old familiar poison. Sometimes this country really frightens me.

Mageth · 01-28-2003, 03:55 PM

Overlooking the obvious error of conflating abiogenisis and evolution:

No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life�s origins should be considered as theory, not fact.

Yet these same yahoos would undoubtedly claim that Genesis 1-3 is an accurate, eyewitness description of the origin of life on earth...:banghead:

Valentine Pontifex · 01-28-2003, 04:14 PM

Kenneth Miller on the Disclaimer

Don't lay that trash in Oklahoma!

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01-28-2003, 12:04 PM	#2
Albion Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: US east coast. And www.theroyalforums.com Posts: 2,829	Teaching evolution is dangerous to the public health? Where the hell do they think public health comes from if not from biology and the people trained in it?

01-28-2003, 01:54 PM	#3
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

01-28-2003, 01:58 PM	#5
Albion Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: US east coast. And www.theroyalforums.com Posts: 2,829	This is the same as the Alabama disclaimer, isn't it? The wording sounds sickeningly familiar.

01-28-2003, 02:01 PM	#6
Nickle Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 385	Yup.

01-28-2003, 03:45 PM	#8
Albion Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: US east coast. And www.theroyalforums.com Posts: 2,829	Sorry - I think my brain just shut down while reading all the old familiar poison. Sometimes this country really frightens me.

01-28-2003, 03:55 PM	#9
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	Overlooking the obvious error of conflating abiogenisis and evolution: No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life�s origins should be considered as theory, not fact. Yet these same yahoos would undoubtedly claim that Genesis 1-3 is an accurate, eyewitness description of the origin of life on earth...:banghead:

01-28-2003, 04:14 PM	#10
Valentine Pontifex Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy Posts: 3,092	Kenneth Miller on the Disclaimer Don't lay that trash in Oklahoma!

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