American Federation of Teachers: Statement on Bush & Intelligent Design

American Federation of Teachers via WebWire ^ | 05 August 2005 | Antonia Cortese

[PatrickHenry]

The following is a statement by Antonia Cortese, executive vice president, American Federation of Teachers, on President Bush’s Comments that ’Intelligent Design’ should be taught in the nation’s science classrooms:

---

President Bush’s misinformed comments on "intelligent design" signal a huge step backward for science education in the United States. The president’s endorsement of such a discredited, nonscientific view is akin to suggesting that students be taught the "alternative theory" that the earth is flat or that the sun revolves around the earth. Intelligent design does not belong in the science classroom because it is not science.

By backing concepts that lack scientific merit, President Bush is undermining his own pledge to "leave no child behind." If students are to reach higher standards, and if they are to compete effectively with their international peers, they must be exposed to high-quality curricula that are research based and that reflect the best available knowledge in any given field. In the science classroom, that necessitates the study of evolution, one of the most important, powerful, and well-substantiated concepts in science.

Intelligent design has been repudiated by every respected scientific organization in the nation, including the National Academies, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Science Teachers Association. Even President Bush’s top science adviser, John H. Marburger III, has acknowledged that "evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology" and that "intelligent design is not a scientific concept." To preserve the integrity of science education, President Bush should heed this advice.

---

The AFT represents 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; nurses and healthcare workers; and federal, state and local government employees.

[JennMack]

"You're the one who wants to reduce the number of scientists.
am i arguing with a liberal here? This is still freerepublic right? Word plays are so yesterday (but i actually have a funny one)

" I never denied as much."
well i never said you did.. just calm down, this is the internets

"Actually, they have nothing to do with evolutionary theories because James Clerk Maxwell was a phycisist. Einstein's theories also have nothing to do with evolution. That doesn't mean that evolution is not important to the field of biology."

biology, crapology, mexicology, ology, it's still a science. If evolutionary theory is the best binding glue that biology has, i think we're all in a bit of trouble, can you guys even decide WHAT the theory is yet? Everybody has their own variation, is there one written down that's like.. "THE" right version?

" So is gravity."
Gravity's still considered a theory? Im pretty sure when you throw stuff up it always always comes down. Can i throw my waste at people and dance around at the zoo to pay homeage to the evolutionary theory then? Sry, that was the best word play i could think up : /

[DaGman]

"Ah, yes, "the teachers". Such a credible source on this issue."

Yes, the teachers. I can't think of a better source on the issue. I support the teachers 100% They're in there with our kids and they know something about this. I really don't care if they're in a union or not. They're there for my kid and I respect what they have to say and I support them.

[longtermmemmory]

Notice to those not paying attention: Pres. Bush has been pronouncing nuclear correctly.


We should say it is hard to take any teacher union seriously since they can even teach a student.

[bondserv]

The sun does revolve around the earth. I watch it happen from my fixed position on earth every day.

Relativist!

[ml1954]

The sun does revolve around the earth. I watch it happen from my fixed position on earth every day.

I've made the same observation and concluded it revolves around me.

[b_sharp]

"You mean that all scientists without question accept that the larger changes that have occurred since we were single celled animals can be explained by mutation and natural selection? Even Gould was at least troubled by the lack of transitionals (even though he bought off on the overall theory) and that is why he brought up punctuated equilibrium as a possible explanation. And being a possible explanation does not eliminate all possible doubt."

The old 'over generalization fallacy'. Good choice.

[Past Your Eyes]

Amelia must have been thinking of Jimmuh Carter. He called it "NOO kyer".

[cinives]

Are you saying no scientific theory has ever been proven ? The scientific method depends on verifiable results, thus, the proof.

Your post is incoherent.

[calex59]

I have never seen an evolutionists present the testable, falsifiable hypothesis for the theory of evolution. No evidence exists except for a handful, and I mean a handful, of bones and no, absolutely, no transitional species in the fosil record except those that have been proven to be fake. Id and evolution have exactly the same amount of evidence, NONE.

BTW, I am not a creationists or believer of ID, nor am I an evolutionists. I am waiting for the truth to come out and so far neither camp seems to have it.

If establishing a class that teaches ID without making it mandantory is such a threat to you guys you need to get a life. The kids who attend it will be the ones who believe in it already through their parents. The people who believe in evolution will still be taught evolution, as a matter of fact, every one will still be taught evolution

Bush never said make it a science class and teach it in the same class as evolution. I have some issues with Bush, but this isn't what it's being cracked up to be. The dems are using it to split the right AGAIN. They keep doing the same things and people keep fallling for it.

It is way past time for both of your groups on FR to say live and let live. Evos believe your way, creationists believe your way, this includes the ID people and I, I will believe that the truth isn't known yet and may never be. All of you try to grow up and stop your silly arguments about it.

[k2blader]

Public school teachers are there for kids as much as parents expect. Which isn't all that much..

[DirtyHarryY2K]

Had you wanted me to specifically provide an explanation of how this applied to evolution, you should have stated as much.

Well, we are after all on an evolution thread, you don't have to be the head cashier at wal-mart to understand that.

Birds from reptiles at one point or another WOW that should shake things up a bit. All this time I thought birds were in the reptile family. Evolution theoretically happened over a great period of time, Time like space are outer forms of existence, where did time and space come from?

[Dimensio]

am i arguing with a liberal here? This is still freerepublic right?

How else should I take "More MD's and less scientists please."

I inferred that you don't value the work of scientists.

biology, crapology, mexicology, ology, it's still a science.

And science is divided into various fields of study. The three "major" branches are physics, chemistry and biology. Yes, there is some overlap when dealing with the mechanics but overall the three are their own specializations, and then further specialization within the individual fields.

The work of a phycisist will rarely impact the field of biology. Pointing out that a phycisist's research doesn't touch on the theory of evolution does not, in anyway, show that the theory of evolution is unimportant in the field of biology.

If evolutionary theory is the best binding glue that biology has, i think we're all in a bit of trouble, can you guys even decide WHAT the theory is yet?

Where did you get the impression that there was major contention about the theory? There's debate amongst individual aspects within the theory, but that's true for every theory.

Gravity's still considered a theory?

Yep.

Im pretty sure when you throw stuff up it always always comes down.

Thus far that's been the case. We cannot "prove" that it will always be the case, though the real meat of the matter is the explanation of why things that you throw up come back down again. That is the theory of gravity, and that is less understood than evolution.

Can i throw my waste at people and dance around at the zoo to pay homeage to the evolutionary theory then? How would that be paying homage to the theory of evolution?

[cinives]

Yes, exactly. Until I see replicable evidence of intelligence, it just ain't so ;)

[Dimensio]

All this time I thought birds were in the reptile family.

Er, no.

Time like space are outer forms of existence, where did time and space come from?

Don't know. Not relevant to the theory of evolution.

[cinives]

Bravo.

[PatrickHenry]

Are you saying no scientific theory has ever been proven ? The scientific method depends on verifiable results, thus, the proof. Your post is incoherent.

Help is on the way: What's a Scientific Theory?

Another service of
Darwin Central
The conspiracy that cares

[ml1954]

I have never seen an evolutionists present the testable, falsifiable hypothesis for the theory of evolution.

I think a fossil record that homo sapiens (or just about and other contemporary species) lived 100 million years ago would cause a problem for the theory of evolution.

[PatrickHenry]

I have never seen an evolutionists present the testable, falsifiable hypothesis for the theory of evolution. No evidence exists except for a handful, and I mean a handful, of bones and no, absolutely, no transitional species in the fosil record except those that have been proven to be fake. Id and evolution have exactly the same amount of evidence, NONE.

29+ Evidences for Macroevolution. Yes, macro-evolution.
NEW Ichneumon's legendary post 52. More evidence than you can handle.
NEW Post 661: Ichneumon's stunning post on transitionals.
Plagiarized Errors and Molecular Genetics. Anatomic similarities are confirmed by DNA similarities and copying errors.
Evidence of Evolutionary Transitions. There really is evidence out there.
Transitional Vertebrate Fossils FAQ. Yes, transitional fossils exist.
8,000+ papers on vertabrate evolution. National Academy of Sciences.
Fossil whale with legs. Land animal to whale transitional fossil.
Feathered Dinosaurs.
Archaeopteryx. Reptile-to- bird transitional fossil.
Archaeopteryx: FAQS . A true transitional fossil
All About Archaeopteryx.
Evidence for Evolution . Compilation of links.
Human Ancestors.
The Evidence for Human Evolution.

Another service of Darwin Central, the conspiracy that cares.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I am so thankful that my children's education is not guided by public school employees and union members.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

Don't know. Not relevant to the theory of evolution.

It's very relevant. Could evolution have taken place without Time and space?