Charles Darwin – born 199 years ago, yesterday – might be turning in his grave these days. If he were alive he might be one mad scientist. (Okay, I’ll stop.)

The creationism debate recently exploded around here when a Dallas-based, Bible-oriented college called the Institute for Creation Research proposed schooling Texas science teachers in creationism. A letter from a Nobel Prize-winning scientist to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board argued the proposed program would make Texas a “laughing stock” in the science community. If that’s the case, scientists must be getting a real kick out of some of the goings on at The Florida Department of Education meetings lately.

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The board on Monday held its final public hearing on new science standards requiring in-depth teaching of evolution. More than 100 people came out for the debate, most of them hoping to sway the school board to include creationism and intelligent design in the science class curriculum.

Will the creationists voice be quieted when the Fla. School board votes Feb 19, or will they gain momentum – and what will it all mean for the future of Texas’ students, considering that we are (like it or not) a state vulnerable to this paticular sort of rumpus?

I thought this was a funny quote in favor of strict evolution-theory teaching in Fla. Public schools: “Debra Walker, chairman of the Monroe County School Board, said the current ‘political meltdown over Darwinian theory’ was proof that too many people had received a poor-quality science education.”

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