Written by Don Byrd
Efforts to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act fell short again last week when the state’s Senate Education Committee voted 3-2 to table the proposal. The legislation has been in effect since 2008. It allows teachers to bring in materials from outside the curriculum that are critical of scientific theories like evolution.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune has more:
“The LSE Act is a bad law, not because of its spirit, but because of its failure to provide the necessary restrictions, standards, and guidelines required in order for the original intent to be successfully realized,” said Tammy Wood, a Zachary-area teacher who received the 1991 Louisiana Presidential Award for science education.
She said more restrictions should be placed on what type of supplemental materials should be used and “which represent mere nonsense masquerading as a viable alternative.”
Lawmakers in opposition to the repeal repeatedly asked for proof that teachers were introducing religious texts in classrooms and using the Science Act to do it. Those testifying said there had been no public complaints made to the Department of Education.
One inspiring element of this story is the initial push to repeal was led by a high school student. Even though the bill stays in place for now, Zach Kopplin deserves much credit for bringing the issue to the forefront and coming as close as he has to turning back the bill.
