The religious right’s war on science continues this week when Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) meets to consider the adoption of new biology textbooks for the state’s public schools. Two special panels that included educators, scientists and scholars have already approved the proposed biology textbooks. (The National Center for Science Education has more here. TFN Insider wrote about the Louisiana battle last month.) But creationists on the BESE still oppose final approval because the textbooks don’t include junk-science arguments against evolution. Here’s a recap of what’s been happening so far.
The Louisiana Coalition for Science has been working hard to turn back the assault on sound science education in the state. Lauri Lebo at Religion Dispatches has been following the story and has good background here and here.
A BESE committee — the Student/School Performance and Support Committee, chaired by creationist Dale Bayard — is set to hear testimony from the public at a public hearing on Tuesday. The full board will take up the issue Wednesday and Thursday.
