Added June 6, 2008:
NY Times: Opponents of Evolution Adopting a New Strategy
Steven Schafersman, President, Texas Citizens for Science: Critical Review that covers developments reported in the NY Times article and the article (linked below) by Gary Scharer, as well as reaction by Intelligent Design proponents.
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A story by Gary Scharrer for the San Antonio Express-News reports [...]
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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 [...]
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.
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 [...]
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 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 [...]
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 Glenn Beck’s show on CNN Monday, April 28, 2008:
Darwinism cannot explain gravity, cannot explain thermodynamics.
… Mathis basically explains that these examples were excluded from the film because inclusion of this evidence against the film’s major argument “would have confused the film unnecessarily.”
In other words, the film is a lie, and the film-makers know it.
Blake Stacey compiles examples of people being penalized for being truthful about evolutionary biology.
Meanwhile, for Dembski on expelled, see here and here. As usual, he’s being dishonest. For example, Dembski says
Controversy surrounds this film. Reviews tend to be extremely positive or extremely negative. Who likes it? People who think God may have had something to [...]
An email sent Thursday April 17 to supporters of the Institute for Creation Research from its CEO Henry Morris III, on next week’s hearing & decision by the Texas Higher Ed Board regarding the ICR’s application for accreditation (and hence, teacher certification) for its distance education masters degree in “science education,” has been posted on [...]
This story is critical to defending themselves against accusations that they deliberately mislead nearly all of their pro-evolution interviewees
Keep checking this space for the National Center for Science Education’s official response to the Ben Stein movie Expelled; for now, we hope you will find this collection of resources helpful.
