Critics call bill effort to teach creationism

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Apr 18, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:17 a.m.

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A Senate panel approved a bill Thursday to revamp the way evolution and other topics are taught in public schools despite charges it could inject biblical topics into science classes.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Ben Nevers, sponsor of the bill, denied that his proposal was a bid to promote creationism — the view that life began about 6,000 years ago in a process described in the Bible’s Book of Genesis.

Nevers and other backers said the bill would promote wide-open classroom discussions that students are hungry to hear.

“This bill does not promote religion or ask to introduce religion in any classroom,” Nevers said.

Opponents said that, if the Legislature approves the bill, it will make Louisiana a target of national ridicule as an outpost of anti-evolution views.

“The committee needs to know that nearly all scientists oppose passage of this bill,” said William Hansel, a scientist at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

The Senate Education Committee approved the bill without dissent.

The panel acted after a last-minute change designed to stem criticism.

The legislation, which is a substitute for Senate Bill 561, was first sought by the Louisiana Family Forum, which describes itself as a group that promotes traditional family values.

Nevers initially called it the “Louisiana Academic Freedom Act.” The new version labels the measure the “Louisiana Science Education Act.”

The next step is action in the full Senate, possibly next week.

The revamped bill would require the state to assist teachers, principals and others in encouraging students to pursue “critical thinking skills, logical analysis and open and objective discussion of scientific theories.”

The legislation would allow teachers to use approved materials that supplement school science textbooks in any examination of those theories.