(from the American Institute of Biological Science (AIBS) Public Policy Report, December 20, 2010): The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education recently approved new high school biology textbooks that include the topic of evolution, despite the objections of some creationists. The 8-2 vote means that the state will purchase textbooks that do not mention creationism or intelligent design.
Supporters of evolution education praised the decision. “We are pleased and proud that the board has done the right thing,” said the Louisiana Coalition for Science in a statement. “As a result, students in Louisiana public schools will have the most current, up-to-date information about biology, including the theory of evolution, which is the strongest explanation of the history and development of life on Earth ever constructed…Students in our public schools deserve the best science education we can give them. Thanks to [the board’s] decision, they won’t have to wait any longer for decent textbooks.”
According to Eugenie C. Scott, the Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, “The board’s decision is a ray of sunlight, especially because the creationist opponents of these textbooks were claiming — wrongly — that the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act requires that biology textbooks misrepresent evolution as scientifically controversial. It’s refreshing to see that the board withstood the pressure to compromise the quality of biology textbooks in the state.”
(Ed. note: Oklahoma may soon share the national spotlight with Louisiana as State Senator Josh Brecheen, who represents Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johnston, and Marshall counties, recently published part one of a two part article in the Johnson County Capitol Democrat where he outlines his plans to introduce legislation this term to “…bring parity to subject matter taught in our public schools, paid for by the taxpayers and driven by a religious ideology. I’m talking about the religion of evolution.” Stay tuned…)