Having done battle unsuccessfully with the mainstream scientific community, critics of evolution鈥檚 now officially enshrined place in Florida science classes are regrouping with a line of argument more commonly heard in academe.
Two state lawmakers have introduced a proposal, titled the Academic Freedom Act, that they say is aimed at protecting the rights of teachers who 鈥減resent scientific information鈥� about 鈥渢he full range of scientific views鈥� on evolution.
Opponents see it as an attempt to introduce religiously based concepts, such as 鈥渋ntelligent design鈥� or creationism, into public school science classes under the banner of academic freedom. The bill says it would not promote religious doctrine of any sort.
The proposal comes weeks after the Florida state board of education鈥攐ver the objections of some religious groups鈥攁pproved revised academic standards that strongly support the teaching of evolution. (鈥淔la. Panel鈥檚 Evolution Vote Hailed,鈥� Feb. 27, 2008.)
Companion bills, introduced by Sen. Ronda Storms and Rep. Alan Hays, both Republicans, would keep K-12 teachers from being disciplined or terminated, and students from being 鈥減enalized,鈥� for presenting their positions on evolution.
Joe Wolf, the president of Florida Citizens for Science, which opposes the bills, notes that they strongly resemble model legislation supported by the Discovery Institute, a pro-intelligent-design group based in Seattle.
If the move to let evolution opponents cite academic freedom becomes law, 鈥渟ome teachers will step over the line and teach religion,鈥� Mr. Wolf said. 鈥淪ome are going to get sued.鈥�
But Casey Luskin, a program officer for the Discovery Institute, said the Florida bill is necessary. 鈥淭oday, it鈥檚 the teachers and students who are raising questions about [Charles] Darwin鈥檚 theory [of evolution] who are being stifled,鈥� he said via e-mail.
Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers were among those who attended a private showing in Tallahassee March 12 of 鈥淓xpelled: No Intelligence Allowed,鈥� a new, pro-intelligent-design documentary. The narrator, actor Ben Stein, raises the academic freedom argument in the film. (鈥淐oming Soon: Movie Backs 鈥業ntelligent Design鈥�,鈥� Feb. 27, 2008.)
