A bill to allow more questioning of scientific theories in the name of “critical thinking” got the final vote of approval from the state House of Representatives last night.
Proponents say the bill is intended to keep teachers from being disciplined if they allow discussion on scientific controversies in their classrooms.
The House approved language added by the Senate. In a preamble, the bill now lists subjects that the General Assembly feels are up for disputation: “biological evolution, the chemical origin of life, global warming and human cloning.”
Opponents say the bill follows the strategy of creationists and others who want to cast doubt on the theory of evolution. Scientists say there is not scientific dispute over the theory – just political opposition.
But the sponsors say science classes will still have to stick to the curriculum approved by the state Board of Education.
While some teachers and scientists opposed the bill, the state Department of Education steered clear of taking a position on it.
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The bill, HB 368 Dunn/SB 893 Watson, was amended in the Senate to add a long preamble.
The action of the House means both chambers of the General Assembly have passed the same language, and the bill goes to the governor for his signature.
Even as the bill was being passed, a guest lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University was advising against the action. From the MTSU news release:
“Physical anthropologist and evolution expert Dr. Eugenie C. Scott emphatically believes the Tennessee State legislature should drop bills regarding the allowing of religious and politically motivated statements in public middle- and high-school classrooms. And because politics is involved, Scott looks for the legislature to pass them.
“These bills are a bad idea pedagogically. They’re a bad idea legally,” says Scott, who has been in Murfreesboro and at MTSU today, awaiting tonight’s Scholars Week keynote address titled ‘Controversy over the Teaching of Evolution.’
“The best thing would be for these bills to be withdrawn and forgotten about. And it looks like they are going to pass.”
In her comments, Scott is referencing Tennessee HB0368 and SB0893 that, as introduced, “protects a teacher from discipline for teaching scientific subjects in an objective manner.”
Moments after the bill passed, the Discover Institute, an organization which has fought the teaching of evolution nationally, issued a press release lauding the new bill:
“By a vote of 72-23, Tennessee’s House of Representatives today passed an academic freedom bill that would protect teachers and school districts who wish to promote critical thinking and objective discussion about controversial science issues such as biological evolution, climate change and human cloning, according to Discovery Institute.
“This bill promotes good science education by protecting the academic freedom of science teachers to fully and objectively discuss controversial scientific topics, like evolution,” said Casey Luskin, science education expert and policy analyst at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture. “Critics who claim the bill promotes religion instead of science either haven’t read the bill or are putting up a smokescreen to divert attention from their goal to censor dissenting scientific views.”
“The bill expressly states that it “shall not be construed to promote any religious or non-religious doctrine.”
“…the Tennessee bill is similar to an academic freedom policy adopted in 2008 by Louisiana, known as the Louisiana Science Education Act.
“This year, four states have considered academic freedom legislation designed to protect teachers who teach both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory. Many of the bills have been adapted from sample legislation developed by Discovery Institute, including a model statute posted online at www.academicfreedompetition.com.
“At least nine states currently have state or local policies that protect, encourage, and sometimes even require teachers to discuss the scientific evidence for and against Darwinian evolution.”
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