Posted on 04/12/2004 3:24:54 PM PDT by truthandlife
CNN is being asked to recant a story about a bill in the Missouri legislature that would allow teachers to be fired for not teaching alternatives to the theory of evolution, such as the Intelligent Design theory.
Recently on the program CNN Sunday Morning, correspondent Denise Belgrave stated that nine states were grappling with the debate over how evolution should or should not be taught in public schools. In the story, Belgrave encouraged viewers to "imagine a law that would fire teachers who refused to teach alternatives to evolution theory, alternatives that have not yet been widely accepted by the scientific community. That's what Missouri's considering, but Missouri isn't alone."
CNN's viewers were then shown a U.S. map highlighting nine states as places where measures similar to that described in Missouri were under consideration. The CNN reporter identified "intelligent design" as the main alternative to evolution theory. Intelligent design, which some say reflects aspects of the biblical account of creation, proposes than some features of the world were created as the result of an intelligent cause instead of natural selection, a component of the evolution theory.
The problem is that even though a bill was introduced in January in Missouri that would have penalized teachers for not teaching an evolution alternative, the measure was later revised and the teacher penalty was eliminated. In addition, the revised bill is no longer under active consideration by the Missouri Legislature, according to the bill's sponsor.
Dr. John West with the Seattle-based Discovery Institute says the whole report filed by Belgrave was false and amounted to "shoddy journalism."
"Denise Belgrave apparently got some information from a pro-evolution group and simply parroted it; she apparently didn't try to verify it herself. I was interviewed for the report and actually appeared briefly on screen, and the amazing thing to me is that she didn't even ever ask me about the Missouri bill -- or even about the subject of teachers being fired for not teaching alternatives to evolution. Even though that turned out to be what her whole report was about."
West notes that none of the nine states identified by CNN as considering such legislation are, in fact, doing so. The Institute spokesman also points out that CNN dropped the ball on another story, this one not fabricated.
"The really ironic thing here is that not only this story false, but CNN misses the real story -- which is that there is a problem about freedom of teachers, and teachers are being intimidated," he says. "It's not the teachers who teach evolution who are being intimidated, it's the teacher who try to teach scientific criticisms of evolution. In a number of cases they have lost their jobs already, or they have faced other penalties."
Belgrave would not comment on the accuracy of her report for this story. But CNN spokeswoman Megan Mahoney says West's allegations are "without merit," and claims the network "has no agenda on this or any other story" it reports. "Any suggestion to the contrary is just plan wrong," she says.
'Journalistic Sins' from USA Today Reporter Meanwhile, a star reporter with USA Today who had been hailed by evangelicals as a role model for student journalists has been investigated by the newspaper and accused of fabricating portions of major stories, plagiarizing quotes from competing publications, and lying during speeches he gave on behalf of USA Today.
Jack Kelley, who resigned from the newspaper in January, has also admitted to conspiring to mislead those who were investigating his work.
A team of reporters -- including three veteran journalists from outside of USA Today who monitored the whole process -- spent seven weeks pouring over more than 700 stories that Kelley had filed over the last ten years, reviewing his travel and expense reports, and reading transcripts of speeches he gave.
The newspaper reports that about 100 of Kelley's stories contained "journalistic sins" that were "sweeping and substantial"; that many of his stories supposedly reported from foreign soil were contradicted by hotel, phone, and other records; and that in speeches to groups such as the Evangelical Press Association, Kelley talked of events that never occurred.
Kelley, 43, had been nominated five times for a Pulitzer Prize and was a finalist once. He had been with USA Today for his entire 21-year career. Christianity Today reports that several of Kelley's Christian journalist friends in Washington, DC, are urging him to seek professional counseling -- and they continue to stand by their Christian colleague. Among those who have shown their continued support of Kelley is respected syndicated columnist Cal Thomas.
Leni
Yep, that's right. We gunned down our own POWs in Vietnam, and Saddam Hussein was just peachy as long as CNN had an exclusive bureau in Baghdad.
Yeah, CNN is totally without an agenda, ever.
If I were a creationist, I wouldn't be pushing this one too hard.
...
(b) If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught, biological evolution and biological intelligent design shall be taught and given equal treatment. Other scientific theory or theories of biological origin may be taught and given equal treatment. If biological intelligent design is taught, any proposed identity of the intelligence responsible for earth’s biology shall be verifiable by present-day observation or experimentation and teachers shall not question, survey, or otherwise influence student belief in a nonverifiable identity within a science course;
(5) If an event previous to written history is taught, the event shall be supported by physical evidence. Physical evidence and data concerning the event may be taught where considered instructive. Conjecture concerning an event previous to written history as to the occurrence of the event, cause of the event, date of the event, length of time for the event to occur, subsequent effects of the event, or other speculative details shall be taught as theory or hypothesis as specified in subdivision (4) of this subsection;
(6) If a naturalistic process previous to written history is taught, the naturalistic process shall be duplicated by an analogous naturalistic process. Details of the analogous naturalistic process may be taught where considered instructive. Conjecture concerning a naturalistic process previous to written history as to the occurrence of the process, cause of the process, date of the process, length of time for the process to occur, process conditions, process mechanisms, process materials, or other speculative details shall be taught as theory or hypothesis as specified in subdivision (4) of this subsection;
(7) If a scientific theory or hypothesis proven to be false is taught for historical, illustrative, or other reasons, the theory or hypothesis shall be identified as false when taught orally or in writing.
4. New textbooks purchased after January 1, 2006, for use in Missouri public elementary and secondary schools shall meet the requirements of this section. All textbooks used after January 1, 2016, in Missouri public elementary and secondary schools shall meet the requirements of this section.
5. The state commissioner of education shall appoint a temporary committee of no fewer than five individuals who are knowledgeable of science and supportive of intelligent design to serve without compensation. The committee shall develop supplemental textbook material for interim use by schools for the teaching of standard science and biological intelligent design by September 1, 2005. Interim textbook material shall be accessible for copying on the department of elementary and secondary education Internet web site without cost or restriction.
6. The state commissioner of education shall prescribe a list of suitable textbooks which meet the requirements of this section no later than January 1, 2006. The prescribed list shall be accessible on the department of elementary and secondary education Internet web site. The textbook publisher shall certify to the commissioner of education that each textbook edition complies with the requirements of this section.
7. Willful neglect of any elementary or secondary school superintendent, principal, or teacher to observe and carry out the requirements of this section shall be cause for termination of his or her contract.
| Last Action: | 01/08/2004 - Read second time (H) | ||||
| HB911 | |||||
| Next Hearing: | Hearing not scheduled | ||||
| Calendar: | Bill currently not on calendar | ||||
(a) If a scientific theory concerning origin or destiny is taught without the teaching of opposing scientific theory, the taught theory may be criticized by the teaching of conflicting empirical data where considered instructive;
From the same document.
Kinda, sorta. I'm here to maim Demonrats, of the Andy Rooney ilk, but I'm also visiting old haunts.
I agree with RWP: The creationists shouldn't really want to go there. Kinda like the Democrats shouting for Bush to release the "damning" Aug. 6 memo.
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