The last time we wrote about Alabama’s House Joint Resolution 78 was Discoveroids & Alabama’s Creationist Resolution. As you recall, the resolution appears to be non-binding, but it urges state and local education authorities to promote the “academic freedom” of science teachers in the state’s public schools.
We quoted the language of the resolution, and then said the obvious — that much of its language is taken right out of the anti-science, anti-evolution, pro-creationism Academic Freedom Act promoted by the Discovery Institute. We’ve critiqued their model bill here: Curmudgeon’s Guide to “Academic Freedom” Laws.
We also quoted a newspaper article about an interview with the resolution’s sponsor. It said, with our bold font:
A state representative from north Alabama says his resolution on science instruction in public schools is an effort to encourage students and teachers to discuss intelligent design. “In the development of critical thinking, we need to make it welcoming at least for a student or teacher to bring up another theory,” Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, said this week.
In spite of the confessed motivation of the resolution’s crazed sponsor — which should assure the defeat of the thing if it were ever challenged in court — the Discoveroids supported the resolution. They seem desperate for any kind of success, and they probably suspect that a non-binding resolution is not only great propaganda, but they have nothing to lose. The resolution isn’t literally a law, so it may never be litigated.
Our friends at the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) have just posted the inevitable bad news: Antiscience resolution adopted in Alabama. They say:
The Alabama Senate voted to adopt House Joint Resolution 78 (PDF) on a voice vote on May 2, 2017, joining the Alabama House of Representatives, which voted to adopt the resolution in April 2017.
That’s confirmed by a visit to this link to the Alabama legislature, Resolution Status for HJR78 (Regular Session 2017). If you go there, you’ll have to click on “Resolutions,” and then click on “Find Status of a Resolution,” then enter HJR78 and click on “Get Status” to be informed: “Current Status: Enrolled. Delivered to Governor at 4:42 p.m. on May 2, 2017.”
So what does it mean? First, it gives the Discoveroids a kind of victory, the sort of thing that will please their generous patrons and keep the funds flowing. Also, it means that through their imbecilic legislature, the citizens of Alabama have proclaimed: “We are drooling creationists, and we urge our schools to teach our children to be drooling creationists.” There’s not much else to be said.
Copyright © 2017. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
Of all the groups that know that “intelligent design” creationism is a scam, the Disco Tute is at the head of the line. That’s why they are content with demonstrating their propaganda, but back off when it actually comes to putting their creationist ideas in public school. They know there’s nothing to teach and if we’re lucky some schmuck school district in Alabama will become Kitzmiller 2.
The malaise is not confined to Albama: What’s in Trump’s religious liberty order?
Just what the USA needs: more political activism by religious organisations….
“Albama”?
Jeepers, I sound like I’m from there!
[Full disclosure: I was born in Georgia, a very long time ago…]
Now now. Fast food workers, toll booth attendands, road construction sign holders, jobs like that will still need to be filled. What better candidate for such positions than a person educated in ID or creationism. All is not lost. With a masters in ID, you can be the foreman of the sign holder crew.
@techreseller
Don’t forget the need for legislators.
My apologies to fast food workers, toll booth attendants, and road construction sign holders, who perform useful work.
I think they are trying to counteract the “fad of atheism”. This is an unintentionally comic article.
http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/alex-mcfarland/youth-are-turning-away-god-churches-peddling-christianity-lite-share-blame
The author teaches at Southern Baptist affiliated North Greenville University where they offer a “biology” course in Intelligent Design.
Their Intelligent Design Course:
BIOL 3300. Intelligent Design-Fact or Fiction
An introduction into the origins of life, using an integrated scientific and Christian perspective. The first third of the course includes coverage of the scientific method, the philosophy of science, the relationship of science behind evolutionary theory. The last two thirds of the course investigates the history of creationism, intelligent design, young-Earth creationism versus old Earth evolutionary theory, geological records versus Earth history relative to the flood. Three class hours per week. Three semester hours credit. Prerequisite: 2 Natural Science courses (BIOL 1410 and one other Biology course) and 2 Christian Studies courses (preferably CHST 1310 and 1320 or CHST 2335) or permission of instructor.
AlaDAMNbama is not at the bottom cuz there is always taxus, lour-easy-ana to sink even lower! So what it amounts too is a student that turns in a science paper with ‘GAWD DID IT’ is graded 100%, so anyone else can get the same grade by turning in a blank sheet of paper! They are both equally knowledgeable!
Wonder how “welcoming” they’d be to a student bringing up the theory that humans were genetically engineered by aliens. (There are people who peddle books about that, and make good money at it.)
I don’t suppose there is any point in noting that nowhere in the first world outside the USA, is there the slightest interest in passing anything that resembles legislation on this subject, not even in those nations that retain a semblance of an established religion?
No, thought not.
Xians in Australia are a dying breed, especially since our Royal Commission into child abuse showed the thousands of victims by church authorities. What`s keeping the USA from recognising the depravity of religious groups?
Never count out Mississippi in your race to the bottom. Give them a chance. If Alabama can do it, Mississippi will not be far behind and will jump at the chance to exceed them in ignorance.
Is not Turkey officially teaching creationism?
In March 2016 the Alabama board of education voted to continue the use of anti-evolution stickers on any biology textbook that mentions evolution. Perhaps the only state to still do this? Does anyone have any idea of how this edict from the school board is followed in the state?