The previous post on the “Texas English / Language Arts standards debacle” has raised questions about intentionality — whether this just shows incompetence, or whether the right-wing board leadership and majority are acting with nefarious intent.
A May 21 article by Gary Scharrer for the Houston Chronicle is suggestive, I think. It reports that in a [...]
Monthly Archives: May 2008
TX School Bd member seeks replacement of Bd chair
May 26, 2008 – 5:29 pm
Texas ELAR standards debacle (evolution next?)
May 24, 2008 – 11:39 pm
The Texas State Board of Education’s shocking action Friday (May 23, 2008) in adopting new standards for K-12 English/Language Arts is being viewed by some as a harbinger of things to come for the new science standards, which are the next to be revised.
new study: 1 of 8 HS science teachers teach creationism
May 20, 2008 – 4:12 pm
This new study reports that “Of the 25% of teachers who devoted time to creationism or intelligent design, nearly half agreed or strongly agreed that they teach creationism as a “valid scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species.”
evolution disproved on GodTube
May 13, 2008 – 10:44 pm
There’s a devastating disproof of evolution at
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=817b7893bcdeed13799b
I had decided not to bother blogging about this, but that work’s been done for us by The Sensuous Curmudgeon.
Expelled — approaching extinction?
May 13, 2008 – 8:09 pm
My guess is that Expelled will not survive out on the surface and in daylight. It might not be able to survive at all without some mutation to accommodate pressure from the legal environment — but after such mutation, the film will survive in dark, dank, cavernous environments; but the predators that feed upon such fare will still roam free to infect other populations with this malicious virus.
Curriculum … also not just “Le programme d’études”
May 11, 2008 – 6:07 pm
The previous post complains that Curriculum is not just “el plan de estudios,” despite the mechanical translation by the Google translator.
It turns out that the same problem appears in Google’s French translations of “curriculum.” Although the title, at least, is translated from What is curriculum? — Some Observations by Maxine Greene to Quel est curriculum? [...]
Curriculum: ¡ not just “el plan de estudios” !
May 10, 2008 – 8:22 pm
Today somebody used the Google translator to get a Spanish translation of the blog post here on Journey, Map, or Territory? (some observations by John Dewey).
I was curious to see the translation. When I did, I saw the link to the previous post, with the title translated as
¿Qué es el plan de estudios? — Algunas [...]
genetic factors in political orientation?
May 6, 2008 – 8:18 pm
An article by Jim Giles published in New Scientist, and posted by the Center for Genetics and Society, surveys a variety of studies leading some people to see genetic factors in political inclinations, including liberal v. conservative, and likelihood to participate or not.
The studies include twin studies, gene studies and personality studies. This calls for [...]
Documentation re: Texas rejects creation science teaching degree
May 6, 2008 – 6:30 pm
On April 24 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board denied an application from the Institute for Creation Research [ ICR ] for certification of its distance education program for a masters degree in “science education,” which would have meant certification of its graduates as science teachers. The following Documents are now posted at the TCEHB [...]
Resources on Ben Stein’s Expelled
May 6, 2008 – 11:32 am
In addition to “Expelled Exposed,” a page maintained by NCSE with links to coverage on Ben Stein’s movie, the pro-creationist Access Research Network (ARN) also has a page of links to resources. The ARN page may be more comprehensive, including links to items both favorable and critical toward the movie.
Brownback’s anti-humanzee legislation
May 5, 2008 – 5:22 pm
In Ligers, Tigons, and Zonkeys, Oh My!, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council writes:
Over the past few years, plenty of animal hybrids have been coaxed into existence, including wholphins (whale and dolphin), lepjags (leopard and jaguar), and a pizzly (polar and grizzly bear). We are quickly approaching a threshold of irresponsibility that is [...]
Expelled enjoined
May 5, 2008 – 11:21 am
Yoko Ono has won an injunction against Expelled, but the answer is effective public education — not “enforced science,” which is at best an oxymoron.
“Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature”
May 4, 2008 – 7:58 pm
Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande is one of two books reviewed for the Austin American-Statesman, as “Good YA novels with silly titles.”
From the review:
When Ms. Shepherd begins teaching evolution, the self-styled “Holy Warriors” at Mena’s church call for her dismissal and demand the teaching of intelligent design. Mena [...]
anti-science in Texas
May 4, 2008 – 7:41 pm
The following morning, I received a call from the principal. She confirmed that there is no retesting for the Science TAKS. But she also informed me that my son would not be retained in the fifth grade because Science TAKS is not required for promotion! Fifth grade students must pass the Reading and Math TAKS tests in order to be promoted, but they don’t even have to show up for the Science TAKS.
from Ben Stein: “Darwinism cannot explain gravity” (with video)
May 3, 2008 – 2:24 pm
From Glenn Beck’s show on CNN Monday, April 28, 2008:
Darwinism cannot explain gravity, cannot explain thermodynamics.
