LA Senate Okays Bill to Question Evolution in Schools

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SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 5/5/2008 2:05:00 PM

In a move that could potentially mix religion and science, the Louisiana Senate recently passed a bill that would let science teachers change the way they teach evolution, global warming, and human cloning in public school classrooms.

The measure, called the "Louisiana Science Education Act," would let teachers supplement school science textbooks with other materials when teaching those subjects, reports the Associated Press.

Opponents of the measure, including some science teachers and researchers, say the bill is an effort to promote creationism and to challenge scientific facts with religious beliefs.

But Senator Ben Nevers (D-Bogalusa), the bill’s sponsor, says the proposal was designed to promote critical thinking and to strengthen and enhance scientific education in this state. "Critical thinking is a huge part of scientific education," says Nevers, adding that commonly held scientific beliefs may one day be refuted in the future.

The Senate approved the bill in a 35-0 vote, sending it to the House for debate. The current bill would let a public school board determine if a teacher can use "supplemental textbooks and other instructional materials to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review scientific theories in an objective manner."