November 9, 2005

Kansas Enters A New Dark Age

I thought I'd write at length about the Kansas Board of Education decision to abandon teaching science in public schools

...the board rewrote the definition of science, so that it is no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena.
but on something like this PZ Myers is going to be far ahead of the curve:
Rewriting the definition of science seems a rather presumptuous thing for a school board to do, I think, especially when their new definition is something contrary to what working scientists and major scientific organizations say is science. As for removing the limitation to natural phenomena, what do they propose to add? Ghosts, intuition, divine revelation, telepathic communications from Venusians? It's simply insane.
It is worth noting that:
The standards approved Tuesday are not binding on local school districts, and few have said they plan to revise their lesson plans.
To the extent that there are real science teachers in the schools and educated, thoughtful folks on the local school boards the state board may be simply ignored. On the other hand, the light may be turned out in some classrooms.

Sad.

Update: More from Steve Verdon.

Posted by Steve on November 9, 2005
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