Michigan Creationism: Update (14 December 2008)

YOUR CURMUDGEON has some good news from Michigan. Our last update reminded you that one of those anti-science, anti-evolution, pro-creationism “academic freedom” bills is still pending in Michigan’s legislature. We discussed the contents of the Senate’s bill here: Creationist Legislation in Michigan: Update.

This link is to a list of all the bills in the Senate Education Committee. If you scroll down you’ll find it — SB 1361. Observe the name of the bill’s sponsor — Bill Hardiman. This is Hardiman’s website.

Here’s a link to the companion bill in the state House: Education Committee Bill Records Search. It’s HB 6027, and it’s been sitting in that committee since 30 April. The sponsor in that chamber is John Moolenaar. This is Moolenaar’s website.

The bills are still pending, and as far as we know, the sponsors of those bills are still in office. So where’s the good news?

An editorial in the Detroit News, Legislature should back real educational reforms, discusses a variety of pending educational measures, none of which are of interest to us here. However, the editorial begins by saying that the state’s legislative session is drawing to a close this week.

We can’t be certain, but we assume that the bills allowing creationism to be taught in science class will quietly die in their respective committees. That will be good news indeed.

But there’s always next year.

Copyright © 2008. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.

. AddThis Social Bookmark Button . Permalink for this article

2 responses to “Michigan Creationism: Update (14 December 2008)

  1. Tout your victories where you can get them but perhaps consider rethinking including Michigan education among them.

    The state is full of outstanding public and private colleges and universities; secular and religious; but this generally Liberal and Democratic state has only a 70% graduation rate from it’s already very secular public schools. Many of it’s largest cities Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, Saginaw are closer to 50%. It’s only this high because of state sponsored charter schools.

    Any anti-creation school reform legislation here would hardly be reform at all. The reform would be allow some diversity of thought.

    Many religious and home schools at least expose their students to creation concepts(but must teach evolution) and have much higher graduation rates and scores on state tests; more and more are getting scholarships from public universities.

  2. mightyfrijoles

    The sorry state of Michigan’s Public Schools is beyond question as is the existence of some pretty good colleges and universities. But reforming schools to spew Creationism ain’t going to help.

    Help would be found in understanding how the Gov. and her Henchguys have ruined the economy in a previously wonderful state and who would never consider attacking the unions that run things there, including the Teachers’ Unions. Therein lies the problem, not in the lack of teaching YEC.