[Evolidaho] [Fwd: [AIBS-Evolution-l]Richard Baker of OBE -
"[They're] just a bunch of paranoid,
egotistical scientists afraid of people
finding out [they] don't know anything."]
evolidaho at mm.isu.edu
evolidaho at mm.isu.edu
Wed Mar 3 13:25:06 MST 2004
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [AIBS-Evolution-l]Richard Baker of OBE - "[They're] just a
bunch of paranoid, egotistical scientists afraid of people finding out
[they] don't know anything."
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2004 15:29:12 -0500
From: "Steven A. Edinger" <steven.edinger.1 at ohio.edu>
Reply-To: evolution-l at aibs.org
To: evolution-l at aibs.org
Please forward/post nationally & internationally
Please write the governor & OBE members. See below or www.ohioscience.org
for contact info. And please show up at the hearing on Tuesday March 9, 2004
in Columbus.
The Vice President of the Ohio Board of Education yesterday resorted to
personal attacks on scientists and science itself in an effort to pass the
creationist lesson plan misleadingly called "critical analysis of
evolution". The plan does not present students with honest critical
analysis. Rather, it promotes the pseudoscientific propaganda of
Young-Earth, Old-Earth & Intelligent-Design Creationists.
To quote:
"Richard Baker, an avowed creationist and vice president of the OBE,
disagrees. ....Baker accused the scientific community of wasting time
debating the plan. "We spend all this malarkey and baloney when 99 percent
of all the people who are taught this have nothing to do with the rest of
their lives. These scientists, they don't care about wasting their own time
or anybody else's time. In business we don't waste time. To me, [the lesson]
is not a big deal." According to Baker, the real reason scientists want to
do away with the lesson plan is, as he said to a group of scientists at a
board meeting concerning the lesson plan, "[They] think [they] know
everything. [They're] just a bunch of paranoid, egotistical scientists
afraid of people finding out [they] don't know anything.""
Scientists are, of course, much in favor of honest critical analysis of
evolution & all other scientific theories. Children need to learn how real
working scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of
all scientific theories. Only then will students be prepared for jobs in the
sci-tech industries, or simply be informed, responsible citizens able to
vote on policy issues concerning how science increasingly effects their own
daily lives.
Gov Taft instituted his "Third Frontier Project"
http://www.ohio3rdfrontier.org/ to save Ohio's economy through growth in
the science & technology sector & thus "keep Ohio's kids close to home" with
"high-paying jobs" -especially in biotech. How can the Project possibly
succeed when the Board of Ed promotes teaching pseudo-science in biology
classes?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
full text of article:
THE OBSERVER
2-27-04
Robert Arons
Staff Reporter
Professors debate intelligent design
Case professors Dr. Cynthia Beall, Dr. Lawrence Krauss, and Dr. Patricia
Princehouse gave a press conference at the Cleveland Museum of Natural
History Wednesday to discuss new biology lesson plans for Ohio high school
students in the ongoing intelligent design vs. evolution debate.
One of the new model lessons, "Critical Analysis of Evolution," for the 10th
grade, will be voted on by the Ohio Board of Education (OBE) on March 9. The
model lesson attempts to poke holes in evolutionary theory, and has been
repudiated by scientists and scientific organizations including the Case
Faculty Senate, the Ohio Academy of Science, and the National Academy of
Sciences. It has also been dismissed as "pseudo-science" by the Ohio Faculty
Council, made up of members from all public Ohio universities.
The model curricula passed the OBE vote for intent to adopt by a 13-4 margin
this February, and likely will pass an adoption vote by a 12-7 vote March 9,
when a public hearing will be held before the final adoption vote takes
place. According to sources within the OBE, if the lesson plan is adopted it
will become a part of the curricula tested on the Ohio proficiency exam,
which is used to determine school success and fund allocation; it is also
necessary to pass the test to earn a high school diploma in Ohio.
At the heart of "A Critical Analysis of Evolution" is what has been called
"a pattern of deception" by Princehouse, an evolutionary biologist, and "an
attack on science" by Krauss. The lesson plan has been criticized for lack
of clarity, false historical information, incorrect or missing footnotes,
footnotes directly from books on intelligent design, false definitions,
using outdated scientific information, and errors of fact. For instance, the
lesson plan defines a theory as a "supposition," when scientists usually
define a theory as an explanation of phenomena that has passed empirical
tests. The end result, critics believe, is that this is the first step in
getting rid of all scientific theories that go against creationist
teachings.
Richard Baker, an avowed creationist and vice president of the OBE,
disagrees. "I voted for it because I think you . need to look at more than
one situation as part of the learning process," he said. According to him,
the plan's only goal is to "critically analyze" the theory of evolution, and
that it does not violate laws that separate church and state.
Baker accused the scientific community of wasting time debating the plan.
"We spend all this malarkey and baloney when 99 percent of all the people
who are taught this have nothing to do with the rest of their lives . These
scientists, they don't care about wasting their own time or anybody else's
time. In business we don't waste time . To me, [the lesson] is not a big
deal." According to Baker, the real reason scientists want to do away with
the lesson plan is, as he said to a group of scientists at a board meeting
concerning the lesson plan, "[They] think [they] know everything. [They're]
just a bunch of paranoid, egotistical scientists afraid of people finding
out [they] don't know anything."
Lynn Elfner, director of the Ohio Academy of Science, disagrees with this
thinking. Noting many footnotes to creationist works and similarities of
argument between creationist works and the lesson plan, he said that "the
concepts of intelligent design are embedded throughout the document and they
are traceable to intelligent design organizations . By using the lesson
plan, we can go from the document to the pew and the church."
OBE member Sam Schloemer agreed. "When you compare the lesson plan with
[intelligent design] websites, it's almost verbatim." Steven Gey, a Florida
State constitutional law professor and ABC legal news analysts, added, "It's
not only bad science, it's illegal."
Although the references to creationist books in the lesson plan have been
removed, prompting allegations of plagiarism, the creationist websites
listed as research resources are still there. However, the words
"creationism" and "intelligent design" are not in the document at all.
Another issue with the lesson plan is the way it was created. According to
Schloemer, the selection for the writing committee was closed and
"controlled by the pro-creationist chair Mike Cochran." Martha Wise, another
OBE member, said that the lesson plan itself was "written by an [intelligent
design] ideologist with limited stature as a scientist." According to
Princehouse, "writing committee members could not take home documents from
the meeting . They collected and counted every piece of paper they gave out
before they let anybody go home."
Such secrecy, Elfner believes, has "subverted" the quality of the plan. "The
process to develop the model lessons was controlled concealed, especially
from scientists. The result is we have a fatally flawed model lesson that is
riddled with errors both in pedagogy and scientific content," he said.
http://www.cwru.edu/orgs/observer/index/Head00.html
----------------------
From New Scientist, February 21, 2004, p. 4.
HEADLINE: Creationism back in the classroom
BYLINE: Staff
BODY:
CRITICS say it is creationism by stealth. Ohio's State Board of Education
is attempting to include criticisms of evolutionary theory, which include
ideas from advocates of intelligent design, in an official lesson plan for
public schools.
In a move that has shocked biologists, the board has given preliminary
approval for the lessons to be introduced into the curriculum for
tenth-graders aged 15 to 16. Intelligent design theory repackages
creationism in non-religious terms to get round a US ban on teaching
religion in public schools.
The US National Academy of Sciences and the Ohio Academy of Science have
asked the board to purge creationism from the plan. But on 10 February the
plan was given preliminary approval with only two minor changes: deleting
references to the book Icons of Evolution by intelligent-design advocate
Jonathan Wells, and to a non-existent paper critical of evolution that was
supposedly published in Nature in 1992. But Patricia Princehouse, a
specialist in evolutionary theory at Case Western Reserve University in
Cleveland, Ohio, says the revised plan is riddled with errors and should be
scrapped.
The document has still to receive final approval from the state board.
State officials say that the vote will come no earlier than April, and that
hearings may be required first. But Princehouse points out the board is
also considering introducing further creationist ideas into lesson plans,
including one that promotes the notion that the sun is only 6000 years old.
------------------
Contact Info:
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/default.asp
To send to all Board members with known email address plus some Dept of Ed
members, you can cut & paste the following for addressing your email:
susan.zelman at ode.state.oh.us ; bob.bowers at ode.state.oh.us;
Eydie.Schilling at mail.ode.state.oh.us; Donna.Nesbitt at ode.state.oh.us;
jennifer.Sheets at ode.state.oh.us; Virginia.Jacobs at ode.state.oh.us;
Martha.Wise at ode.state.oh.us; Sam.Schloemer at ode.state.oh.us;
Robin.Hovis at ode.state.oh.us; ota at ohiotownships.org; deb at uakron.edu;
Jim.Craig at ode.state.oh.us; Jennifer.Stewart at ode.state.oh.us;
Cyrus.Richards at ode.state.oh.us; virgil.Brown at ode.state.oh.us;
stephen.millett at ode.state.oh.us; jturner at cinergy.com;
Sue.Westendorf at ode.state.oh.us; Carl.Wick at ode.state.oh.us;
ejross at buckeye-express.com
The next meeting of the Board of Education and final vote on the
lesson plans is scheduled for March 8-9, which does not leave
much time for feedback. The leadership in Ohio needs to hear
from you. When contacting them, brevity and courtesy are virtues
to keep in mind. Also, if you have scientific training or
credentials, please do mention those. Please also consider
putting a copy of your comments in a public forum, where they
may be referred to as a resource and inform the commentary of
others. A thread suitable for this purpose is located at
http://tinyurl.com/2fftv
Those who wish to make their views known to Governor Taft can contact him at
the following address:
Governor Bob Taft
30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6117
Phone 614-466-3555 or 614-644-HELP
or email at:
http://governor.ohio.gov/contactinfopage.asp
Members of the State Board of Education of Ohio
Members are grouped by how they voted on the intent to adopt the model
curriculum. A "for" vote does not necessarily mean that the member is
sympathetic to the "Wedge" advocates; several members are likely to have
voted "for" simply to move the process forward, knowing that another vote
would be taken in March.
Voted AGAINST intent to adopt on February 13:
Robin C. Hovis, Millersburg (330) 674-5000
Robin.Hovis at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-5/default.asp
Cy B. Richardson, Jr., Bethel (513) 734-6700
Cyrus.Richards at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-10/
G. R. (Sam) Schloemer, Cincinnati (513) 821-4145
Sam.Schloemer at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-4/
Jennifer H. Stewart, Zanesville (740) 452-4558
Jennifer.Stewart at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-9/
ABSENT during vote on February 13:
Martha W. Wise, Avon (440) 934-4935
Martha.Wise at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-2/
Virginia E. Jacobs, Lima (419) 999-4219
Virginia.Jacobs at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-1/
Voted FOR intent to adopt on February 13:
Jennifer L. Sheets, Pomeroy, President (740) 992-2151
jennifer.Sheets at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/sheets/default.asp
Richard E. Baker, Hollansburg, Vice President (937) 997-2101
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/baker/
Virgil E. Brown, Jr., Shaker Heights (216) 851-3304
virgil.Brown at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-11/
Michael Cochran, Blacklick (614) 863-0045
ota at ohiotownships.org
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-6/
Jim Craig, Canton (330) 492-5533
Jim.Craig at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-8/
John W. Griffin, West Carrollton (937) 866-1210
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-3/default.asp
Stephen M. Millett, Columbus (614) 424-5335
stephen.millett at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/millet/default.asp
Deborah Owens Fink, Richfield (330) 972-8079
deb at uakron.edu
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/district-7/
Emerson J. Ross, Jr., Toledo (419) 537-1562
ejross at buckeye-express.com
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/ross/
Jo Ann Thatcher, McDermott (740) 858-3300
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/thatcher/
James L. Turner, Cincinnati (513) 287-3232
jturner at cinergy.com
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/turner/
Sue Westendorf, Bowling Green (419) 352-2908
Sue.Westendorf at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/westendorf/
Carl Wick, Centerville (937) 433-1352
Carl.Wick at ode.state.oh.us
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/members/wicks/default.asp
Ex Officio Members
Senator Robert Gardner, Madison (614) 644-7718
Representative Arlene Setzer, Vandalia (614) 644-8051
For further information regarding upcoming Board meetings or
general information about the State Board of Education, contact
Ohio Department of Education
Board Relations
25 South Front Street, 7th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4183
Phone: (614) 466-4838 Fax: (614) 466-0599
Department Information Line: 1-877-644-6338
Catherine Clark-Eich, Executive Director
Clark-Eich at ode.state.oh.us
Clayton D. Cormany, Editor
The Ohio State Board of Education page is at
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/board/default.asp
Please copy whatever you send to Ohio representatives or newspapers to the
thread here:
http://tinyurl.com/2fftv
This will make it easy for those in Ohio to reference your opinions.
-----
To send to all Board members with known email address plus some Dept of Ed
members, you can cut & paste the following for addressing your email:
susan.zelman at ode.state.oh.us; bob.bowers at ode.state.oh.us;
Eydie.Schilling at mail.ode.state.oh.us; Donna.Nesbitt at ode.state.oh.us;
jennifer.Sheets at ode.state.oh.us; Virginia.Jacobs at ode.state.oh.us;
Martha.Wise at ode.state.oh.us; Sam.Schloemer at ode.state.oh.us;
Robin.Hovis at ode.state.oh.us; ota at ohiotownships.org; deb at uakron.edu;
Jim.Craig at ode.state.oh.us; Jennifer.Stewart at ode.state.oh.us;
Cyrus.Richards at ode.state.oh.us; virgil.Brown at ode.state.oh.us;
stephen.millett at ode.state.oh.us; jturner at cinergy.com;
Sue.Westendorf at ode.state.oh.us; Carl.Wick at ode.state.oh.us;
ejross at buckeye-express.com
**
* The ohioscience mailing list (ohioscience at ncseweb2.org)
* All posts are confidential and privileged. Users must obtain
* permission in writing from the author before disclosing or
* redistributing.
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
Please see the Ohio Citizens for Science's web page at:
http://ecology.cwru.edu/ohioscience/
********************************************************
"It has been my experience that folks who have no
vices have very few virtues." Abraham Lincoln
"The first human being who hurled an insult instead of
a stone was the founder of civilization." Sigmund Freud
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of
evolution." Theodosius Dobzhansky, 1973
********************************************************
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steven A. Edinger, Physiology Lab Instructor
064 Irvine Hall
Department of Biological Sciences steven.edinger.1 at ohio.edu
Ohio University Office: (740) 593-9484
Athens, Ohio 45701-2979 Fax: (740) 593-0300
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