School boards for -fifteen- states flunk science standards

[Robert Cooper]

Group gives state an 'F' in science
BY JOHN HANNA - Associated Press

TOPEKA - Kansas has some of the nation's worst science standards for public schools, a national education group says, condemning the state for rewriting its definition of science and treating evolution as a flawed theory.

The "F" grade from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute came after the State Board of Education approved the new standards last month. The Washington-based institute said Kansas' treatment of evolution was "radically compromised."

The institute reviewed standards in all states except Iowa, which doesn't have statewide guidelines, and the District of Columbia. Seven states, led by California, received "A" grades, while 15, including Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, flunked.

Kansas' previous standards were evolution-friendly and defined science as "the human activity of seeking natural explanations for what we observe in the world around us." The new definition avoids limiting explanations to natural ones.
---

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/13356135.htm

"avoids limiting explanations to natural ones."

- lightning is thrown by God.
- crops fail because witches curse the fields.
- bad luck is brought on by black cats crossing your path.
- broke a mirror, seven years bad luck.

Oh to be writing exams in Kansas with full points going to whatever supernatural explanation you can invent.

- my dog ate my homework, deliberately (he's possessed by spirits).

[AX10]

1. Red States, of course.

We Northeasterners have the best schools in the nation.

[Robert Cooper]

2. Consider the alternatives...

...for kids who want a -real- science education when the public school board's standards are so poor.

Religious school?

How many years must they be denied a real education in science before their boards are replaced with people who want real standards?

Never?

[acmejack]

3. Well we have the Nation's worst here in Texas

And damn are we proud! And NCLB will do this for your schools too.

[Clark2008]

21. People in the red states don't make enough to pay more

in taxes to provide more funding to the schools.

It's pretty simple. We've been raped by corporations because unions aren't strong here - for a myriad of reasons.

Don't blame us for being poor. Blame Reich-wing propaganda we're barraged with.

[Robert Cooper]

22. You've my sympathy, but...

...this problem is not a result of insufficient funds for schools. This is the result of electing RWers to the board.

But there is a silver-lining to this thundercloud: the whole world supports you taking back your board of education.

That's a lot of good wishes going your way.

[Clark2008]

25. Oh - that I understand.

My school board member is AWESOME.

She's a progressive (although our school board members are allegedly non-partisan) and has done WONDERS for my son's school district in the year she's been in office. It's amazing what this woman has accomplished.

She's the mother of two and a wife and a former school teacher.

So, yes, taking back our school districts from the fundies is important - and, even in the South, we'd rather elect young, vibrant (and usually somewhat progressive) people for school boards if only more of them would run!

PS. Here's her website: http://www.indyakincannon.com/index.html

See what fantastic school boards we CAN elect in red states when we want to. :)

[Angry Girl]

4. 20% of Americans think the sun orbits the earth.

# The United States is 49th in the world in literacy (the New York Times, Dec. 12, 2004).
# The United States ranked 28th out of 40 countries in mathematical literacy (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004).
# Twenty percent of Americans think the sun orbits the earth. Seventeen percent believe the earth revolves around the sun once a day (The Week, Jan. 7, 2005).
# "The International Adult Literacy Survey...found that Americans with less than nine years of education 'score worse than virtually all of the other countries'" (Jeremy Rifkin's superbly documented book The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, p.78).

http://citypages.com/databank/26/1264/article12985.asp

[Reverend_Smitty]

5. the statistics on that page are alarming...

unfortunately they are not surprising...which is why we have Shrub in the White House today.

[Angry Girl]

7. I'll agree with that

A deliberate dumbing down of America has taken place in the past couple of decades. Makes a populace a lot more malleable if they're ignorant. And even more malleable if they can be told to follow without question what their religious leaders tell them. What a fortunate "coincidence" for some conservative billionaires....

[Robert Cooper]

19. As bad as those statistics are...

...you have to -really- wonder who taught -37%- of Americans that the Earth does -not- orbit the sun once a year.

And while those stats are for the number of people who actually believe the Earth doesn't orbit the sun in a year, how many people said "I don't know" when asked?

"Twenty percent of Americans think the sun orbits the earth. Seventeen percent believe the earth revolves around the sun once a day (The Week, Jan. 7, 2005)."

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[countingbluecars]

8. Nope,

We need to get the Dems back in charge. The Democratic radio address last week stressed the importance of science education if we are going to remain a world power.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[countingbluecars]

10. I believe they will help

get us out of the mess your Bush has gotten us into.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[countingbluecars]

14. Isn't there another place

you can go with your "deep rooted hatred"?

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. He's on his way there now

check out his profile LOL

[countingbluecars]

17. LOL n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Welcome to DU

Enjoy your brief stay :hi:

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Gee that was short

Darn I was just starting to have some fun.

[Robert Cooper]

18. It's like walking into a crime scene...deleted bodies everywhere...

...I take it my thread was 'visited' during the night.

Wish I'd been around for the massacre (evil grin).

[mediaman007]

20. I wonder what those Kansas farmers plant?

Do they use seeds from every crop they harvest? or do they trot on down to the feed store and get those genetically enhanced, evoluted seeds from Archer Daniels Midland?

[Robert Cooper]

23. And if they cut themselves...

...do they rely on those second generation antibiotics designed to fight evolved strains of bacteria the first generation of antibiotics created?

Doctors should label these things ;-)

[Robert Cooper]

24. kick nt