Everyone knows about the Kansas Board of Education's 2005 approval of new public school science standards that were intended to cast doubt on the theory of evolution and inject God and creationism into high school science teaching under the veil of bogus "intelligent design" theories. The 6-4 vote marked the third time in six years that the board had rewritten standards with evolution as the central issue, and has helped make Kansas the laughingstock of the world.
In August, Kansas voters will have a chance to take back control of the board from the religious right. If you live in Kansas or know someone who lives in Kansas, please tell them to get off their butts and vote in the primary election on August 1. Jump down for some analysis of the candidates who can help bring sanity back to the sunflower state.
Most of what I've heard and read from folks here in Kansas City tells me that the majority of Kansans are truly embarrassed by the education board's actions. They feel that it reinforces the stereotypical image of Kansans as a bunch of backwards country bumpkins - an image they've fought for years to erase. Kansas City business and civic leaders also feel that the board's actions could seriously derail their efforts to make the city a hub for the life sciences industry, especially when combined with never-ending efforts by the religious right to ban stem cell research in both Kansas and Missouri (a
ballot initiative to protect stem cell research is on the Missouri ballot in November). And I think the whole evolution-ID issue has contributed to the state reaching a tipping point in a growing backlash against the religious right and its control of the state GOP (as I discussed in my diary yesterday on
Why Kansas GOP Candidates Became Dems).
In addition to its famous ID ruling, the board has engaged in other inanities that have tarnished the Kansas education system, such as by making it more difficult for students to learn about sexually transmitted diseases and how to avoid pregnancy and by hiring Bob Corkins, a conservative lobbyist with no public education experience, as state superintendent. Corkins has been openly hostile to better funding of public schools and friendly to the idea of using public tax dollars for private education.
In a clear indication to me of how fed up folks are about this matter, an editorial in today's Kansas City Star newspaper endorses five board candidates who will take back the board from the religious right. Ever since I moved to Kansas City five years ago, I have been continually frustrated by the Star's clearly conservative, pro-Bush bias in its news coverage. So it really says something to me when its editorial makes no bones about fighting religious right influence on the board:
All of Kansas is affected by the state board's influence on the image of Kansas as a good place to live, raise kids and create businesses. The current board's policies have the potential to harm the credibility of current graduates. In addition, the board's actions make it more difficult for the state to attract professionals, especially in the sciences.
For those that are interested, here's a quick rundown on the board candidates who can, as the Star says, "put Kansas back on the right track":
Janet Waugh, in the 1st District, is the only board incumbent up for re-election who has not voted with the wingnut majority (she was one of the four "No" votes in the ID decision). Hers is the only Democratic primary race for the board (the other four races are in the Republican primary). Waugh is being opposed in the Dem primary by Jesse Hall, who is a stealth candidate for the religious right. Hall has never held public office, has not attended any candidate forums and is backed by individuals associated with the religious right. Dems really need to get out and back Waugh on August 1.
Harry E. McDonald, in the 3rd District, is running against incumbent John Bacon, part of the 6-4 wingnut majority. McDonald is a retired high school biology teacher and a board member of Kansas Citizens for Science. "I'm disturbed by the direction the state board is taking and, in particular, the direction my local member is taking," McDonald told the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper. McDonald is supported by the MAINstream Coalition, a group dedicated to upholding the separation of church and state and preserving public schools (MAIN stands for Moderate Alliance of Informed Neighbors).
Sally Cauble, in the 5th District, a former elementary school teacher and local school board member, is running against super-wingnut Connie Morris, who has been the ringleader of the board's anti-evolution movement. Among her many outrageous actions, Morris has called evolution an "age-old fairy tale" and said the state shouldn't pay for educating children of illegal immigrants. Next to Morris, just about anyone would seem sane, and Cauble certainly would be an improvement. "I'm running on common sense," Cauble told the Lawrence Journal-World. "I believe God created the universe. I taught evolution, and I find the two compatible. I may teach intelligent design in a philosophy class, but I'm not sure I would put it in the science curriculum." Whoever wins the Aug. 1 primary will face Dem Tim Cruz in November. (Fun fact: Morris once falsely referred to Cruz as an "admitted past illegal immigrant.")
Donna Viola, running in the 7th District, is a small-business owner and local school board president. She is trying to unseat Kenneth Willard, also part of the 6-4 wingnut majority. Viola has said she would have voted differently from Willard on the evolution issue, and that a priority for her would be to remove Corkins.
Jana Shaver, running in the 9th District, is a former teacher and administrator and a community college board member. She is running for an open seat being vacated by wingnut Iris Van Meter, who was a stealth candidate for the religious right in 2002. Shaver is endorsed by the MAINstream Coalition.
All four Republican candidates will face serious Democratic challengers in the general elections, and the Dem candidates will be even better than the Repug candidates mentioned above. But in a Republican-leaning state like Kansas, the real opportunity to ensure that we take back the school board from the wingnuts could be made in these little-noticed primaries.
Friends, right here, right now is the time where citizen action will turn the tide to take back control of our country from the wingnuts. Not just in the heavily covered national elections but in local and state primaries for school boards and other public offices. Please pass along this information to anyone you may know in Kansas, or consider donating a few bucks to the MAINstream Coalition.
