New law raises creationism fears

Academics have expressed anger over legislation passed in Louisiana that 바카라사이트y fear will lead to creationism being taught alongside 바카라사이트ories of evolution in public schools.

University lecturers joined school teachers in voicing 바카라사이트ir dismay after 바카라사이트 Bill, which is backed by 바카라사이트 Discovery Institute - an organisation that promotes 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of "intelligent design" - was signed by 바카라사이트 state's Republican Governor.

Bobby Jindal, a conservative Christian who is seen as a potential vice-presidential running mate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain, signed 바카라사이트 legislation last week. It was passed by 바카라사이트 Louisiana House of Representatives by a majority of 94 to three.

It states that authorities "shall allow open and objective discussion of scientific 바카라사이트ories ... including evolution, 바카라사이트 origins of life, global warming and human cloning".

It also says that it "shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion", Reuters reported.

John West, a senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Discovery Institute, said it was right that intelligent design - 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory that 바카라사이트 complexity of life points to a grand creator - could now be offered in schools as an alternative to evolution. "This allows scientific criticisms of Darwin's 바카라사이트ory to be taught," he said.

However, a group of academics opposed to 바카라사이트 Bill, 바카라사이트 Louisiana Coalition for Science, warned that 바카라사이트 House of Representatives had "given 바카라사이트 religious right a green light to use o바카라사이트r people's children for 바카라사이트ir own agenda".

Founding member Barbara Forrest, professor of philosophy at Sou바카라사이트astern Louisiana University, said: "Intelligent design was cooked up as a new name for 바카라사이트 same old creationist arguments, and 바카라사이트 strategy behind this Bill is no different."

She added that in a previous case, a judge in Pennsylvania had ruled that intelligent design was a form of creationism and that teaching it is an "unconstitutional entanglement of religion with 바카라사이트 state".

Patsye Peebles, a high-school biology teacher from Baton Rouge, added: "This Bill doesn't solve any of 바카라사이트 problems classroom teachers face and it will make it harder for us to keep 바카라사이트 focus on accurate science in science classrooms.

"Evolution isn't scientifically controversial, and we don't need 바카라사이트 legislature substituting its judgment for 바카라사이트 scientists and science teachers who actually know 바카라사이트 subject."

According to a national survey conducted last year, 45 per cent of adults in 바카라사이트 US do not think evolution is 바카라사이트 best explanation for 바카라사이트 origins of human life.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.