Friday, January 30, 2004 Posted: 10:11 AM EST (1511 GMT)
ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The state's school superintendent has proposed striking the word evolution from Georgia's science curriculum and replacing it with the phrase "biological changes over time."
The change is included in more than 800 pages of draft revisions to Georgia's curriculum that have been posted by the Department of Education on its Web site. The middle and high school standards are expected to be voted on by the state Board of Education in May, after public feedback.
Superintendent Kathy Cox said the concept of evolution would still be taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used. The proposal would not require schools to buy new textbooks omitting the word evolution and would not prevent teachers from using it.
Cox repeatedly referred to evolution as a "buzzword" Thursday and said the ban was proposed, in part, to alleviate pressure on teachers in socially conservative areas where parents object to its teaching.
"If teachers across this state, parents across this state say, 'This is not what we want,' then we'll change it," said Cox, a Republican elected in 2002.
Educators and legislators criticized the proposal, saying science teachers understand the theories behind evolution and how to teach them.
"Here we are, saying we have to improve standards and improve education, and we're just throwing a bone to the conservatives with total disregard to what scientists say," said state Rep. Bob Holmes, a Democrat.
Social conservatives who prefer religious creation to be taught instead of evolution criticized the proposal as well.
"If you're teaching the concept without the word, what's the point?" said Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican. "It's stupid. It's like teaching gravity without using the word gravity."
posted on January 30, 2004 01:18:20 PM new
Reminds me of the mind set of my father who looked in our fat expensive unabridged dictionary and was offended it had 'vile' words in it. I explained it just listed and defined words it didn't make judgements as to how desirable or vulgar they were. He self righteously informed me he would never have a book in his house that had those words printed in it.
He seemed to think that if he pretended hard enough they would really not exist anymore.
I am a little tired of the word evolution being used for every sort of progression of design or thought. It is used for the changing design of cars and academic thought. I think it is used becasue most accept that evolutionary change is progress - improvement. But change is not always good or better.
posted on January 30, 2004 02:03:29 PM new
Well, thank that Supreme Being of Benign Indifference ( - the deity formerly known as God) that a Republican had the nuts to call this plan "stupid" !
"Embarrassingly, in the 21st century, in the most scientifically advanced nation the world has ever known, creationists can still persuade politicians, judges and ordinary citizens that evolution is a flawed, poorly supported fantasy." editor of Scientific American
posted on January 30, 2004 02:30:09 PM new
It is embarrassing, isn't it? The irony is, these backwoods creationists lend even greater credence to the theory of evolution with their knuckle-dragging ways...
posted on January 30, 2004 02:55:25 PM new
But it's just plain wrong.
"biological changes over time" is what happens to each of us individually. We're born, we grow, we age, we deteriorate, and we die. These ARE biological changes over time.
Evolution would be considered SPECIES change over time.
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posted on January 30, 2004 03:36:00 PM newI wonder how many Christians actually believe this stuff?
Lots of them do. The bible is, after all, the pristine, virgin, unaltered and unalterable word of God.
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Mi abuelita me dijo "en boca cerrada no entran moscas".
posted on January 30, 2004 03:59:20 PM new
Heck, Replay, think of the fortune we could make on eBay peddling "The 21st Century Evolved Bible" ! You into desktop publishing, my friend?
posted on January 30, 2004 06:18:40 PM new
Fascinating that you equated my silly suggestion with political correctness, Replay. How did you make that leap? Does it have something to do with how you perceive me, personally, or is it a reflection of your perception of the 21st century at-large? I really would like to know...
posted on January 30, 2004 07:13:20 PM new
Nothing personal at all. Half the time I don't even look to see WHO I'm replying to around here.
The next logical, ah, "Evolution" (There's that word again!) would be to make it Politically Correct. In the 20th Century they came up with the NIV Bible, which is "basically" the KJV Bible translated into modern English. That part is done. Now it's time to translate the MEANINGS and stories into something the public will recognize.
And it would be hilarious to read, thereby continuing our previous commentary on evolution.
You could read about Mr. Christ, a licensed contractor, performing medical healing procedures on visually challenged people of the non-gentile persuasion while being pursued by the corrupt government for spreading liberal views in a fascist state.
Actually, if there isn't already a PC Bible, I bet there soon will be one.
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[ edited by replaymedia on Jan 30, 2004 07:14 PM ]
posted on January 31, 2004 09:28:33 AM new
"You could read about Mr. Christ, a licensed contractor, performing medical healing procedures on visually challenged people of the non-gentile persuasion while being pursued by the corrupt government for spreading liberal views in a fascist state."
posted on February 5, 2004 06:28:25 PM newATLANTA (AP) - The thinking of Georgia's top school official has apparently evolved.
School Superintendent Kathy Cox dropped plans Thursday to remove the word "evolution" from Georgia's high school science curriculum, six days after the idea became public and brought forth criticism and ridicule.
Cox, a Republican elected in 2002, said she originally wanted to replace "evolution" with the phrase "biological changes over time" to avoid controversy. "Instead, a greater controversy ensued," she said.
Among those who had criticized the idea were former President Carter and Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Perdue, also a Republican, said Cox's decision was the right thing to do.
posted on February 5, 2004 06:59:14 PM new
Helen, that is a funny picture. I think even Bush himself would laugh at that!
Gravid, that is a profound thing you said there about change and the use of the word evolution. But by them trying to pull the word, they are giving it so much more weight than it really has.
Did any of you see a news clip of a Georgia Woman calling into 911 on a suspected murder in progress? The 911 operator's reply was, "HUH?" (It sounded like a Jeff Foxworthy skit to me.) but that's a reality in Georgia. Maybe they don't much like the idea of change or evolution.
posted on February 5, 2004 07:11:13 PM new
I was going to ask why Hilary Clinton was having her picture taken with George Bush.
But then I figured out it was a joke. She'd never really pose with him, it must be one of those photo-manipulation things to make it LOOK like she is with him.
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