Partial Roll-Call of Florida School Board Creationists
An article in today's Palm Beach Post includes at least a partial list of members of various local boards of education in Florida who oppose the new state standards and wants Intelligent Design Creationism taught in science classes. The links below are of two types; links that direct to the web site of the school board mentioned in the article or, when available, links to send email to the individual member named in the article. Either one can be used to contact the people mentioned.
Evolution furor flares on Florida science proposalsDoes anybody not see from these quotes that the effort to push "intelligent design" in science classes is based on religious belief, not scientific inquiry? Not a single one of these arguments are based on something remotely scientific; they're all about belief, religion, and (particularly in the case of that half-wit from Saint Lucie) ignorance.
...At least two of the five members of the St. Lucie County School Board - Chairwoman Carol Hilson and John Carvelli - said they either want intelligent design to be taught or wouldn't object to teaching it if the community requested. The new standards have no provision for creationism or intelligent design.
"My children need to be exposed to everything, but taught as a theory," Hilson said. "Science is, well, not an exact science. It's all so subjective. There are a lot of holes in the theory of evolution...I can't imagine that we would teach science and not teach intelligent design..."Note: Science isn't an exact science? Carol Hilson is an exact idiot mouthing a bunch of propaganda that she doesn't even understand. This is T-shirt worthy stupid. The people of Saint Lucie County should be ashamed that they have anyone capable of making a statement this profoundly idiotic anywhere near a public school. She even admits in this quote that Intelligent Design isn't science, but that won't stop her from pushing to have it taught!
Palm Beach County School Board member... Debra Robinson told The Palm Beach Post in 2000 that schools should teach creationism with evolution.
Martin County School Board member David Anderson said he opposes teaching evolution and said it should be referenced only as a "theory that some people believe in."
"I'm a Christian and I believe in the Creation. I'm the son of a minister," said Anderson, whose district includes Palm City and Indiantown. "I am in no way endorsing the teaching of evolution..."
Florida's DOE is expected to decide on the matter at its next meeting on Feb. 19 in Tallahassee.
Already, one member has vowed to vote against the new standards.
Board member Donna Callaway told the Florida Baptist Witness late last month that evolution "should not be taught to the exclusion of other theories of origin of life."
Intelligent design should not be taught, but "acknowledged as a theory which many people accept along with others," Callaway said.
"My hope is that there will be times of prayer throughout Christian homes and churches directed toward this issue," Callaway said in the Jacksonville newspaper's Nov. 30 editorial.
Callaway's office referred all questions for this article to her statements in the Florida Baptist Witness.Note: Callway's statement in this editorial is as follows: "I agree completely that evolution should be taught with all of the research and study that has occurred. However, I believe it should not be taught to the exclusion of other theories of origin of life..." Evolution “is like no other subject we teach. Therefore, it is of supreme importance,” she said. “This has the possibility of confirming or denying for a child who he/she really is. This strikes to the meaning, the value, and the core of life itself. I firmly believe that a child can deal with the proof of science along with a personal belief in God as the Creator of the universe at the same time. The classroom should allow him, openly, that opportunity. Teachers should be allowed the leeway to acknowledge that there are other theories.”
I'm ashamed to say that Donna Callaway's alma mater, Florida State University, is the same as my own. Frankly, I think she makes fellow alumni look bad and devalues a degree from that institution. Is it too late to revoke her degree?
I'd also like to point out that the article as presented includes a major misconception. An insert box on the left margin is entitled "Know Your Theories" and includes Intelligent Design, which isn't a theory except in the most general, colloquial usage of the word. It doesn't qualify as a scientific theory, as evolutionary theory does, because it doesn't explain anything, isn't predictive, isn't testable, etc. To that extent, The Palm Beach Post has once again conflated scientific theory (evolutionary theory) with what could at best be termed an argument (intelligent design). It's worth pointing out, as the paper should have done, that while all scientific theories consist of arguments, not all arguments are, or can be included in, scientific theories. I suppose that's too much to ask from a newspaper in reality, though.
