Blue Collar Scientist

Greg Laden reports on Louisiana’s recently-introduced pro-Creationism legislation.

The commentary in the Daily Advertiser points out that Lousiana was the original test case in which creationists forced the issue into the courts, and lost:

In the early 1980s, the Legislature passed a law requiring the teaching of creation science alongside evolution in our public schools. In its 1987 Edwards v. Aguillard decision, the U.S. Supreme Court smote down the Louisiana law, yea, even unto the dust. The justices cited the Establishment Clause.

Almost immediately, people calling themselves the Discovery Institute decided they could slip creationism into schools if they didn’t explicitly mention God.

The bill is a so-called “academic freedom” bill.

As usual, the religious community is split, with religious extremists favoring the bill, and sensible religious people opposing it:

There’s nothing stupid about believing that God created everything - at least not to me, since that’s what I believe. But intelligent design is an affront to both religion and science.

Another story in the Times-Picayune

The creationists are with us again, determined in the upcoming legislative session to make the whole of Louisiana like Ouachita Parish. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Ouachita Parish adopted an “academic freedom” policy (pdf) in 2006 which has since been used to harass and suppress science teachers teaching evolution in the district. The Louisiana bill is modeled on the Ouachita Parish policy, while “academic freedom” bills introduced in other states were written by, or based on an exemplar written by, the creationist Discovery Institute.

Back to the Times-Picayune:

Now [creationism] has painted on a new face and emerged on the arm of state Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, who is pushing what he humorously terms the “The Louisiana Academic Freedom Act” in the upcoming session.

Nevers has filed Senate Bill 561 with the spurious premise that evolution is a matter of serious scientific debate and that both sides are entitled to a hearing. A lot of people have fallen for that line, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, although, of course, scientists, save a few stray zealots, regard the evidence for evolution as overwhelming.

The acts seem to be consistent with the creationist strategy to get the government to force their religiously extreme views upon children, and also gain large tax subsidies for their “textbook” publishing businesses.

Is anyone else tired of the creationists’ political correctness? Let’s start calling these what they are: creationism acts, not academic freedom acts.