Kansas Evolves?

By: Lowell
Published On: 8/3/2006 6:24:13 AM

This Tuesday, according to the Hotline blog:

Conservative GOPers who favor teaching theories questioning evolution lost their majority 8/1 as GOP nominations for two seats on the Kansas Board of Education went instead to moderates who favor teaching evolution.

Here's a thought: was this vote an ironic, quasi-metaphorical example of evolution itself?  In other words, was the vote in Kansas Tuesday in part a realization that being against basic science - evolution is, indeed, one of science's main building blocks - is not "adaptive" in the early 21st century?  That failing to teach children the fundamentals - no pun intended - of science is essential if they have any hope of competing against the Chinas and Indias of the world?  As one Democratic school board candidate had said last November:

...I believe the children of Kansas deserve a Board of Education that will prepare them to successfully compete in a global economy rather than a Board that is interested only in advancing their own personal ideology. Not only is the quality of our children+óGé¼Gäós education at stake, but also the long-term economic growth of the State of Kansas if we continue down a path where the personal beliefs of a Board+óGé¼Gäós Radical Right attempt to suppress the search for knowledge and understanding.

Preparing to compete in the global economy; is that something like "survival of the fittest?"  And is THAT something like what Darwin was talking about when he developed his great scientific Theory of Evolution back in the 19th century?  So why in God's name - ok, pun intended this time; ha ha -  are we still fighting over this in the early 21st century?  Is Kansas - and, more broadly, America - evolving or moving backwards into ignorance and superstition?  Will Kansas - and, more broadly, America - make the decision, once and for all, to adapt to the world's current challenges? Or will we, as a nation, bury our heads in the sand, as even the ostrich does NOT do in real life?

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.

Comments



Nice One, Lowell (Nick Stump - 8/3/2006 6:51:17 AM)
I see something like this column and it gives me hope for the country.  I love your idea that it's the perfect analogy for evolution.  It really is.  Sometimes evolution is fast, but sometimes it must come like a ton of bricks falling.  I can hear some old fart naysayer at home holding a steak on his eye.  The caption would read, "I don't know, Martha.  I was sitting there, minding God's own business and evolution walked up and knocked the intelligent design right out of me." Thank's Lowell--this one really cracked me up.

Nick



Thanks Nick... (Lowell - 8/3/2006 10:36:58 AM)
I enjoyed writing it, too. :)


Agreed (PM - 8/3/2006 8:31:06 AM)
Here's a nice quote on the election I saw on my favorite evolution website:  "The Board can focus on bigger issues. They can dig into ways to address the special challenges of rural districts, and to find solutions to the problems faced by the students in poorer urban districts. Real challenges, not fake controversy. Helping kids, not fighting culture wars."

One more plug -- for those of you who enjoy reading about the evolution/ID controversy from the perspective of a biologist you'll find http://scienceblogs.... highly entertaining.  He also writes about lots of slimy things that live in the deep.  No, not George Allen and Tom Davis.  Cephalopods!