JoshBrecheen is an Oklahoma State senator who also owns a motivational speakingbusiness (Brecheen Keynotes and Seminars). Now, when January 2011 marked theopening of a new legislative session in the State senates (as all Januariesdo), some idiots have – they always do – to present a ”teach teh controversy”or outright anti-evolution bill. Brecheenwas responsible for Oklahoma’s in2011.
Copiedand pasted right out of theDiscovery Institute’s anti-science strategy”Academic Freedom”,Brecheen’s version stated that local education administrators ”shall notprohibit any teacher from informing students about relevant scientificinformation regarding either the scientific strengths or scientific weaknessesof controversial topics in sciences, when being taught in accordance withadopted standards and curricula,” where such topics “include but are notlimited to biological origins of life and biological evolution.” That is,“teach all the science”.Of course, the fact that evolutionis not a scientifically controversial issue andcreationism is not a scientific theory is uninteresting, and what the law is supposed to do is to let any and everyteacher spread the most egregious nonsense to students without having to standup for it.
Brecheen’s defense of the bill was, predictably, filled withallthe usual creationist talking points,including conspiracy mongering (“Renowned scientists now asserting thatevolution is laden with errors[curiously none are mentioned]are being ignored”). Fortunately, as every such “Academic Freedom” sponsor is wont to do,they disregard the Discovery Institute’s stealth recommendation and tell the mediawhat they are really trying to achieve. Brecheen promptly spilled the beans: “Ihave introduced legislation requiring every publically funded Oklahoma schoolto teach the debate of creation vs. evolution using the known science, eventhat which conflicts withDarwin's religion.” He admitted that “One of the bills I will file this year may be dismissed asinferior by ‘intellectuals’”. Indeed.
Diagnosis: Dense dullhead with no aptitude for criticalthinking, not the faintest what science is or how it works, andno understanding of the fact that he lacks a clue.Such incompetence won’t prevent you from getting into positions of power,however, so Brecheen cannot be completely dismissed as harmless.
Here is an editorial by Brecheen where he also states that his legislation was intended to introduce creationism into public schools:
ReplyDeleteIn wrapping this up, I have introduced legislation requiring every publically [sic] funded Oklahoma school to teach the debate of creation vs. evolution using the known science, even that which conflicts with Darwin's religion.
http://www.durantdemocrat.com/view/full_story/10776295/article-Brecheen-says-the-religion-of-evolution-is-plagued-with-falsehoods
While that site doesn't give a date of the editorial, this site dates it as ... wait for it ... Christmas Eve, 2010:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Two_Oklahoma_lawmakers_file_bills_encouraging_creationism/20110128_16_a15_cutlin39811
Brecheen is still zealously trying to bring creationism to Oklahoma schools.Here is a discussion of his first creationism bill of 2014.Here is the second (while the firstwas dying.)
ReplyDelete