there is NO second

theory. the earth IS more than 6,000 years old. humans did NOT ride on the backs of dinosaurs. the universe WAS NOT LITERALLY CREATED IN SIX DAYS.

giving even one little iota to the cranks and kooks and religious zealots who spew these inaccuracies is not only stupid it's dangerous

on the surface, one would think the texas decision was a victory for evolution. it's not really. there are far too many roadblocks

yet ANOTHER reason to be embarrassed to be human

State education board approves science standards
New standards remove specific references to age of the universe.
By Laura Heinauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

The State Board of Education on Friday passed science curriculum standards that members described as a compromise between those who are critical of teaching evolutionary theories without scrutiny and those who feared attacks on evolution would lead to the teaching of creationism in Texas schools.

After the 13-2 vote, it was social conservatives on the board who were doing most of the celebrating while scientists expressed concerns.

The new standards remove current requirements that students be taught the "strengths and weaknesses" of scientific theories. Instead, teachers will be required to have students scrutinize "all sides" of the theories.

The new standards will determine what will be included in science textbooks in Texas. Because of its size, Texas could influence what publishers print in books used in other states. Friday's adoption comes after many months of debate over drafts for the standards, which were last revised in 1998.

On the one hand, the standards encourage questions about certain evolutionary concepts, satisfying those who are critical of the theory. But those supportive of evolution were partly mollified because calls to teach "insufficiencies" or "weaknesses" of the theory were rejected..................