It's no secret that neo-cons have the public education system in their sights as a primary candidate for "drowning in the bathtub" along with Federal Government, in general. One of the overt but indirect ways they attack the public schools is through the promotion of vouchers for use in "alterantive educational institutions." A campaign most publicly directed at displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors at present.
Another less overt but more direct attack is being staged to discredit scientific education, by demonizing secularist scientists, and declaring that scholars (whom they disagree with) are elitists whose opinions should be disregarded in favor of the opinions of cranks, quacks, and politicians.
And most dangerously, by advancing the "case" for the teaching of religious myth over science in the public schools.
As a member of the electorate what can you do? Well if you're a scientist or someone who uses the principles of Darwinism in your work, here's a spcecific action. Even if you don't think I'm talking about you personally, take heart and read on. . .
Shovelbums is the name of a website run by archaeologists; its membership has organized a petition supporting Darwinism and opposing the teaching of "intelligent design" as science in the public schools.
Shovelbums' petition is in response to the Discovery Institute's (find out more about their nasty selves) petition "A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism" signed, since 2001, by 400 scientists, as of July 2005. Most of the signees do not employ Darwinian principles in their work.
Now I realize that DailyKos is not overrun by biologists. But some of you may be physicians, dentists, anthropologists, biologists of many stripes, etc. Anyone who has a degree and teaches (or has another career) in the life and earth sciences would qualify. You need not be a researcher.
If you are a member of the scientific community who does use (in any way) Darwinism to support your work, please consider signing the petition you can read below. A link for you to sign it is provided in the upcoming blockquote.
More about the "bogus" petition: The Discovery Institute's petition is presented to the public as a scientific endorsement of the religion-based concept of Intelligent Design over Darwinism (read more). 83% of the 400 "scientists" who signed it are not schooled in the fields that utilize evolutionary theory in detail, nor even in science, and they are not qualified to present their ideas in a way other than personal opinion. Their petition is misleading the public/electorate because of the presentation by specious authority.
Use this petition below to show that:
"We, as scientists trained in fields that utilize evolutionary theory, do not consider Intelligent Design to be a fact-based science appropriate for teaching in public schools because it is theistic in nature, not empirical, and therefore does not pass the rigors of scientific hypothesis testing and theory development. As such, we petition that Intelligent Design not be presented in public schools as a viable science within the scientific curriculum." Go sign petition
Naturally, I'm assuming, based on the activist nature of this blog, that if you're not a qualified signator that you will pass along this information to anyone whom you know that is.
Thanks for your support of reasoned and rational education. And of an educated, rather than indoctrinated electorate.
Please recommend this diary for obvious reasons.