Educators Decry New Louisiana Policy

摘要

Science teachers in Louisiana have been given permission to use supplementary material in the classroom in a move that many scientists and educators regard as a backdoor attempt to allow creationism and its variants into the classroom. Last year, as part of a wave of so-called academic freedom bills, Louisiana legislators passed a law covering the teaching of "controversial" scientific theories that include evolution, origins of life, and global warming (Science, 20 June 2008, p. 1572). State education officials initially drafted policy language explicitly prohibiting teachers from teaching intelligent design. But that language was dropped before last week's unanimous vote by the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, along with a disclaimer saying that religion should not be taught under the guise of critical thinking.