[Kansas Gov. Kathleen] Sebelius criticizes State Board of Education's move [new science standards]

Kansas City Star via Kansas.com ^ | 12 November 2005 | DAVID KLEPPER

[PatrickHenry]

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Friday called the state's new science standards a "step in the wrong direction."

Her comments follow a week in which the Kansas Board of Education adopted new science standards Tuesday that portray evolution as being in doubt and change the definition of science to allow for supernatural explanations.

In her lengthiest public comments yet on the controversy, Sebelius said she worries the changes will undermine science education and send the message that Kansas doesn't welcome high-tech firms and research. She pointed to the state's efforts to recruit bioscience companies, while the board votes to move "away from well-known, proven facts in science class."

Her comments also came as more candidates have stepped forward to challenge Board of Education members who approved the standards earlier this week.

Though the standards make no mention of creationism or intelligent design, they were sought by members of the intelligent design movement, which believes scientific evidence shows that nature was designed by a creator.

Four of the six conservative board members who voted to approve the changes are up for election next November. Moderate Republicans and Democrats are aiming to unseat conservatives, take control of the board and remove the new science standards before they go into effect in 2007.

In a closely watched race in Pennsylvania, voters in the town of Dover on Tuesday did what opponents of the intelligent design standards hope will happen here.

Voters there ousted most of that city's school board, which had voted to put intelligent design in the curriculum.

The latest two people to announce campaigns for state school board are Don Weiss, an Olathe resident, and Kent Runyan, a Pittsburg State University education professor.

Weiss will run as a Democrat against board member John Bacon, an Olathe Republican. Runyan will run as a Democrat against Republican board member Iris Van Meter. Bacon and Van Meter supported the standards.

Olathe resident Harry McDonald has already announced his plans to challenge Bacon in the primary election. Other candidates have popped up in other districts as well.

Bacon, who hasn't announced his re-election plans, said he's not concerned about his challengers and doesn't believe any political lessons from Dover, Pa., are relevant to Kansas. He said the Kansas school standards do not mandate the teaching of intelligent design like the ones in Dover. And he said he believes most Kansans will support the board's decision.

"There are holes in evolution," he said. "Any good scientist will admit to that."

Sebelius said she was "baffled" by the Board of Education's yearlong debate about evolution, and that as a Catholic who attended religious schools, she sees no contradiction between faith and scientific explanations of nature.

"I was taught that God created the universe," she said. "I was also taught science in science class."

Bacon said Sebelius doesn't understand that the board changed the standards to allow students to make up their own minds about evolution. He said worries about the changes' effects on the economy, public education and the state's reputation amount to "scare tactics."

[balrog666]

Care to do a search to see how many hundreds, if not thousands of times Dimensia has called FR members liars?

Aw, gee, how many times was he wrong? Any?

[PatrickHenry]

It there is one thing in this world that can get Hilary elected POTUS, it is ID.

Hillary's vote is already locked in. Those who will vote for her are going to show up on election day even if there are hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, tidal waves, and earthquakes. And the rest of us will never vote for her. There are no undecideds.

You can count her vote total today (plus a few million dead voters). She won't get more; but she won't get less. It's not a majority, but she can get elected if: (1) another Perot shows up to split the republican vote; or (2) the republican candidate doesn't get out the vote in sufficient strength.

I'd never vote for a dem for president, but if the republican candidate were an outspoken creationist (or ID-ist), I couldn't vote for him, because either he's an idiot, or a dishonest sack of manure. So I'd stay home on election day. And I don't think I'm the only one.

Therefore, I agree with you. Creationism (or ID) could put Hillary in the White House. Which is why I hope the GOP learns from the Dover fiasco and dumps all traces of ID from the campaigns to come.

[Dane]

Darwin said it. He was not talking about the ToE though. It was in a letter to the botanist Joseph Hooker in 1871.

Okay, in esscence then you are saying with your previous replies on this thread that Darwin(and you) are disregarding, his own original theory.

[Dane]

Therefore, I agree with you. Creationism (or ID) could put Hillary in the White House. Which is why I hope the GOP learns from the Dover fiasco and dumps all traces of ID from the campaigns to come.

And thus ignoring Kansas.

Anyway if ID is your major issue, bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out, and give hillary a big ole hi from me, as you join her campaign.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"Okay, in esscence then you are saying with your previous replies on this thread that Darwin(and you) are disregarding, his own original theory."

Learn to read. I said the quote was from a letter to a botanist friend about an area OUTSIDE the ToE. Scientists DO have interests outside their chosen fields. Every time Newton speculated about Biblical Genealogy, was that a confession that biblical Genealogy was a part of his Theory Of Universal Gravitation?

I am still waiting for a citation from the Origin of Species where he uses his theory as an explanation for the origins of life. This is the third request.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"Anyway if ID is your major issue, bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out, and give hillary a big ole hi from me, as you join her campaign."

You're the one obsessed with the Hildabeast. It's your thinking that will get her elected.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

If you really want to understand the dishonesty in creationist circles, realize that evolution is simultaneously being pilloried for making a stand on the origins of life, and NOT making a stand in the origins of life. How can we win against that kind of logic? Especially when the creationists have shown they have never even read Darwin.

Well, I'm off for a few hours. Just moved a few weeks ago and I still have some unpacking to do.

Cheers!

[Dane]

You're(Dane) the one obsessed with the Hildabeast. It's your thinking that will get her elected

Uh phewttt! Earth to CG, it was your darwinist brother in arms Patrick Henry, who stated that in reply #142.

[Dane]

Learn to read. I said the quote was from a letter to a botanist friend about an area OUTSIDE the ToE. Scientists DO have interests outside their chosen fields

Yeah like clinton had an interest outside of politics(monica, etc.etc. yada, yada, yada)

[RightWingNilla]

Loved her violin concerto and the "Swan of Tuonela."

LOL! I like her symphonies (esp #4) and Finlandia.

[VadeRetro]

Her comments follow a week in which the Kansas Board of Education adopted new science standards Tuesday that portray evolution as being in doubt and change the definition of science to allow for supernatural explanations.

Angels could be pushing the planets around. Teach the controversy! We need balance in our curriculum, which is rife with Newtonism.

A Kansas politician I can agree with, Kathleen Sebelius! Way to go, Madam Governor!

[muir_redwoods]

"Then give me the 100% irrefutable proof on how this world and universe were created."

Cite me the quote from Darwin or any evolutionary biologist who has commented on the creation of the world or the universe. Evolution is about speciation

[RadioAstronomer]

FWIW, I side on the creationist side, they are least being honest in including the question of who or what created life.

Sheesh! Get an education and get back to us.

[RadioAstronomer]

You really ought to make some effort to know what Darwin's Theory is before you go on making such a fool of yourself in public.

You were nicer than I was! LOL!!

[RadioAstronomer]

If it smells like a troll, posts like a troll, and trolls like a troll, then it's a troll.

Whoops! Should have read further before posting.

Tell the Grand Master I humbly apologize.

[PatrickHenry]

Tell the Grand Master I humbly apologize.

He knows.

[RadioAstronomer]

:-)

[Just mythoughts]

"Face it, creationism is a minority faith, even within Christianity. You might have a majority if you include the Muslims though."


I do NOT believe in the Heavenly Father because there is a majority, and if you had read the majority through out history has NEVER been on the side of what is RIGHT.

Evolution is closer kin to Islamic ideology as they allow no other ideologies in their system. This is a thread that promotes liberalism and their system, right here on good old Free Republic.

[Oztrich Boy]

Come to think of it, they were just cheering the election of Democrats in Dover Pa a few days ago.

Mainly cheering the defeat of perjurers. When did perjury become a conservative/Christian virtue?

[Antonello]

Uh phewttt! Earth to CG, it was your darwinist brother in arms Patrick Henry, who stated that in reply #142.

Conservative evolutionists won't vote for Hillary. But if ID or Creationism is an issue in the campaign, and the Republican platform embraces it, then the Republican turnout will suffer.

The Religious Right likes to point out that without them, the Republicans don't stand a chance. It would be wise for them to realize the same is true for the secular right (for lack of a better term).

Many times I have seen Creationists argue that this is too trivial an issue to make such a big deal over. After all, in the Dover case, it is just a single statement, right? So I ask you: Why is it so important to get that 'single statement' in that the Religious Right is willing to jeopardize a Republican split and losing the White House to Hillary over it?