TFN Insider reports that half a dozen creationists are among the reviewers of potential Texas science textbooks. There is a distinct lack of working scientists. Jerry Coyne put it well:
Could they not find professors of biology at, say, the University of Texas at Austin, Rice, Texas A&M, or any of the schools in Texas that have good biology programs? Of course they could, and I am absolutely certain those people would be willing to be on this committee. It almost seems as if Texas wants to get evolution out of the schools, doesn’t it? Is this the best that the populous state of Texas can do?
I will say that I would not want only academic biologists reviewing K-12 textbooks. It is good to have a mix of representatives from all the scientific disciplines, people with experienced teaching K-12, and so on. But this looks like stacking the deck to accomplish one thing: get the presentation of evolution in Texas K-12 textbooks weakened as much as possible.
According to TFN Insider, six of the reviewers are selected by the State Board of Education, which I have blogged about many times before. The State Board of Education has long had a very strong and effective group of fundamentalist conservative Christians who oppose teaching of evolution.
If you live in Texas, consider signing this petition.
External links
Alarm Bells Are Ringing: Creationists Get Influential Positions in Texas Science Textbook Review
Creationism once again threatens Texas schools
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