Republicans advocate SUEING professors who teach evolution!

[Blue-Jay]

from U of Florida's newspaper

<snip>
TALLAHASSEE — Republicans on the House Choice and Innovation Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to pass a bill that aims to stamp out “leftist totalitarianism” by “dictator professors” in the classrooms of Florida’s universities.

The Academic Freedom Bill of Rights, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, passed 8-to-2 despite strenuous objections from the only two Democrats on the committee.

<snip>

While promoting the bill Tuesday, Baxley said a university education should be more than “one biased view by the professor, who as a dictator controls the classroom,” as part of “a misuse of their platform to indoctrinate the next generation with their own views.”

<snip>

“Some professors say, ‘Evolution is a fact. I don’t want to hear about Intelligent Design (a creationist theory), and if you don’t like it, there’s the door,’” Baxley said, citing one example when he thought a student should sue.

<end snips>



I can't even BEGIN to point out on how many levels this is wrong. Seriously, what. the. fuck?!?

[Sandpiper]

1. If you don't like science, enroll in Divinity School

n/t

[candy]

2. I think Florida should just secede and be done with it.

[Pirate Smile]

12. Florida - The New Kansas

[FreedomAngel82]

13. OMG

This is so crazy. Ugh! :argh:

[Ellen Forradalom]

Extremely scary stuff, Jay

Just outrageous stuff.

[Tux]

22. So much

For my plan of getting a PhD in sociology and being at a university.

[cynatnite]

3. Would this actually hold up in court?

I can't see something like this happening. It seems to me that this an attempt to censor college profs.

[Ediacara]

27. Not a chance

Any professor that "bans" discussion of creationism does so because it is illegal to teach creationism as a valid scientific theory because it is 1) not a scientific theory in any way and 2) a religious story whos teaching violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

These people really are lunatics though. It's like proposing legislation that says people can sue Universities that teach Tectonics Theory and not Miogeosynclinal Theory in geology classes.

[katsy]

4. If it's the indoctrination...

they object to, when can parents start suing sunday schools?

[libhill]

11. Can I sue the Government?

All of my legal tender says "In God we trust". As an agnostic, I find that offensive. A dictatorial government trying to force their superstition on me.

[monobrau]

5. Bring on Monkey trial Pt. 2

I'd like nothing more than to see this brought into a courtroom by these 14th century idiots. Please sue before the next presidential election - thanks!

[Kerrytravelers]

36. Please sue before the next presidential election - thanks!

OMG- hysterical! How absolutely hysterical!

I"m cracking up here in Southern California!

[Liberty Belle]

6. Professors should counter sue for abuse of process

and malicious prosecution.

The best evidence that man evolved from apes can be seen in the GOP leadership--throwbacks to a primitive branch of the ol' family tree. It's amazing that their knuckles don't scrape the ground when they walk.

[K-W]

7. Up is down, black is white, slavery is freedom. EOM

[xray s]

8. So when do we start burning witches?

So now science is leftist totalitarianism.

Really, the goddam Nazi's used the same rhetoric.

[atommom]

9. It definitely is an attempt to intimidate and censor educators.

I hope the RW's takeover of the judiciary isn't successful enough to pack the courts with loonies, or they might just get away with it.

[Triana]

10. The American Taliban...

...there they go again. :mad:

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Exactly

Ugh. I'm so fed up with these asses.

[Wonk]

14. Hmmmmmm....

I believe everything that happens is controlled by leprechauns. No, I can't prove it. Now give me a PhD in particle physics or I'll sue. :crazy:

[Blue-Jay]

15. I believe I should add this:

ook ook ook!

[Wonk]

16. This too, for anyone interested in a fark.com flamewar on the subject

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=1414229

[prolesunited]

42. That pretty much

sums it all up.

I shudder to imagine what their idea of utopia looks like.

[The Doctor.]

17. "The Academic Freedom Bill of Rights"????

which restricts what professors are allowed to teach?

How Orwellian...

So... we are facing a real, honest-to-goodness anti-science movement.

-We really are going backwards with these morons at the helm.

[neverforget]

18. Sounds like dictators controlling the committee calling the kettle black.

I am so sick of these backwards, religious right wackos! I wish they would crawl back under the 4 billion year old rock they came out from under.

[kodi]

19. Republicans legislate that pi = 3.14

.

[dsewell]

20. Bill itself is not quite so Neanderthal

Florida HB 837 looks to be the standard-issue David Horowitz "academic bill of rights". The language is carefully framed to appear more or less politically correct and ideologically neutral. Much of it would be perfectly fine with most DUers, with a big "it depends": it depends on just how the bill is interpreted. For example:

Students have a right to expect that they will be graded solely on the basis of their reasoned answers and appropriate knowledge of the subjects they study and that they will not be discriminated against on the basis of their political or religious beliefs.

I would interpret that to mean, for example, that it would be a violation to fail a student for writing an interpretation of Catch-22 that sees Yossarian as a Christ figure just because the professor dislikes Christians. Baxley, I imagine, would see it as grounds to defend a student in an anthropology class who turns in a final exam claiming that Native Americans were descendants of ancient Israelites.

I would seriously doubt, however, that a student in the latter case would have much chance of winning a lawsuit for getting a failing grade.

[wtmusic]

23. beg to differ

"*their* reasoned answers" and "appropriate knowledge" sound like trouble. Baxley, the sponsor of the bill, is a creationist, and is giving evolution vs. "intelligent design" as an example. I think that says it all.

[Kerrytravelers]

37. I also fear it because who knows what this will lead to.

This Schivao debacle is a stepping stone to overturning Roe v. Wade.

[Tux]

26. Well

Now everyone gets to make crackpot theories and can't be held accountable on exams? A purple space moneky did it.

[jobendorfer]

33. They don't have to win to win

Sadly, consider what university professors are paid versus
what decent attorneys cost: even if the prof wins a case,
they're probably out 6 months salary. (Recovering legal
costs from undergrad students? ... hah!)

I assume this bill moves from committee to the floor. What
are its chances there? Any insight from Floridians?

And I thought these guys were the anti-frivilous-litigation
party.

J.

[missouri dem 2]

21. The earth is flat.

And no more of that commie Socrates either.

[Kurovski]

25. The Rapture-Right crackpots have officially over-reached

with the Schiavo case.

Hopefully this kind of goofiness will begin its decline as Americans reach the end of their patience with being bullied by irrational screwballs.

[JamboGuide]

28. Fantasia next!??

Will they try and ban FAntasia in schools for its showing of teh RITE OF SPRING?? Which GRAPHICALLY shows a fish TURNING into a walking mammal!!!! WALT WAS EVIIIIIIIIIIIIIL!!!!!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. I'm beginning to understand what liberal Muslims felt like

when the Ayatollah Khomeini took over in Iran.

[Mr_Spock]

30. I advocate calling Repukes lifeless automatons

They don't believe in evolution because they are jealous that liberals are evolved and they are stuck with reptile brains...

[jpgray]

31. Damn, and don't forget the philosophy professors can't file bankruptcy

Once they get sued a fucking kajillion times for doing their damn jobs. We're killing Socrates all over again here.

[NYC]

32. Would this apply to state universities only?

Or would it also apply to private universities?

[Blue-Jay]

35. Here's a link to House Bill 0837

http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?Tab=session&Submenu=1&FT=D&File=hb083700.html&Directory=session/2005/House/bills/billtext/html/

Doesn't appear to mention limitations regarding state vs private colleges.

[NYC]

40. I've been reading about it on another website.

It is a ridiculous idea.

Thanks for the link. :hi:

[FM Arouet666]

34. The American Dark Age

The ignorance and hypocrisy of the GOP knows no bounds. Tort reform, except when they want to proceed with frivolous lawsuits. Judicial activism questioned, then they break rule of law to circumvent the judicial system altogether in a conservative activist manner to save a woman in a vegetative state, now we have legislation to be used against modern science.

I think the goal here is to perpetuate ignorance, stifle critical thinking, and promote religious and political fervor, all in favor of continuing the status quo, GOP control of the government.:evilfrown:

[TrustingDog]

38. stunning, isn't it?

how things have so changed in so short a time, since the burning bush. Goodness, what's up for us in the next 2 months? 6 months,? with this acceleration of stupidity coming down on us?

even bigger sourer times ahead. prepare. These are the beginning sounds of the death rattle for us.

[caligirl]

39. So UF and FSU are going way down in the us news college ratings

and the UC's and CSU's should require testing of all Florida students seeking to enter universities here.

[Solon]

41. *BANG*

That's the sound of me banging my head against my desk. I'm glad that Florida is taking the hits here, but HOW FUCKING STUPID DO YOU HAVE TO BE?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Now excuse me while I go get some ice. *ooowww*

[grace0418]

43. If people don't want to believe in evolution, I say fine, BUT

then they don't get to use science. Evolution is science, and if they don't believe in science then they don't get to use science. That means they don't get to use computers, or cell phones, cars or airplanes. And they sure as hell don't get to USE FUCKING FEEDING TUBES to keep their sorry asses alive.

[JHB]

44. Dennis Baxley, Republican Anarchist. Who'da thunkit?

While promoting the bill Tuesday, Baxley said a university education should be more than “one biased view by the professor, who as a dictator controls the classroom,” as part of “a misuse of their platform to indoctrinate the next generation with their own views.”

Gee, it used to be a fundie complaint that there was a breakdown in respect for authority. Now, if professors are "dictators" over their classrooms, imagine what tyrants grade-, middle-, and high-school teachers must be! Not to mention those preachers over their churches!

Translated Baxley: "Down with authority! Gotta stop thos facist professors, maaaan!"

[CottonBear]

45. I won't think in your church if you don't pray in my school. n/t

[tallahasseedem]

46. You certainly wouldn't know this was happening from the local press.

Hi guys! I had to post my first message here. I am a Florida State University student here in Tallahassee and I had no idea that this happened. But of course I can read a minute by minute of Schiavo. The hardest thing for most of us here is having to put up with W's little bro, trust me, no one here wanted him.

[johnaries]

47. I had a College Physics professor who was also a Methodist Pastor.

He said that many people asked him if he saw a conflict. He say no, because Science tries to answer the question "how" and religion tries to answer the question "why".

I thought that was an excellent answer.

[hdaddy]

48. ward churchill

check it out, they are about to announce the results of a CU review of Ward Churchill...

Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to let you know that we have completed the review related to
Professor Ward Churchill and have released the full report today. Because of
extensive public interest, I felt it was important to release it as soon after
completion as possible. The report will be posted on our campus web site at
www.colorado.edu/news.

Currently, we are scheduling meetings over the next few weeks to discuss the
outcomes of the review with various campus groups, such as Deans' Council,
Boulder Faculty Assembly, and others.

In the meantime, let me emphasize my continued commitment to the protection of
free speech, no matter how repugnant, as well as to the fundamental principles
of academic freedom and professional integrity.

Thank you for your continuing input on the important issues before the
University. As we address the issues, let us not lose sight of the fact that
CU-Boulder is one of the nation's top public universities and continues to
excel in teaching, conducting research and providing service to our state and
nation.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Phil DiStefano

[BiggJawn]

49. So when does Tom DeLay torch the Library of Congress?

just like his "spiritual fore-bearers" did in Alexandria?

Get these fucking superstitous know-nothings who boozed their way through college to avoid going to Nam the fuck OUT of our house and get some LEARNED people in there!

[DarleenMB]

50. Um, don't they have religion classes

at most universities? So WTF does this dumbbell think that a SCIENCE teacher should not be allowed to teach science? Will they now make the religion professor teach biology?

brother.

what a world.