Evolution bill close to approval; lawsuits expected

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jun 12, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Ignoring threats of a lawsuit, the Louisiana House voted for  legislation Wednesday that could change the way evolution is taught in public schools.

The measure, Senate Bill 733, failed to generate a single question, passed 94-3 and appears poised for final approval.

It now returns to the Senate for consideration of one amendment that was added in a House committee.

The Senate earlier passed a nearly identical version of the bill 35-0.

Backers contend that the proposal would give science teachers more freedom to hold freewheeling classroom discussions, including arguments that challenge Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

But officials of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C., issued a statement Wednesday that said the bill “opens the door to teaching creationism in public schools.”

Christian creationists believe that life began about 6,000 years ago in a process described in the Bible’s Book of Genesis.

“If this new law is used to promote religion in Louisiana public schools, I can guarantee there will be legal action,” said Barry Lynn, executive director of the group.

In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law that required equal time on creationism when evolution is taught in public schools.

The bill is called the Louisiana Science Education Act.

One of the key points of controversy is what materials teachers could use aside from state-approved science textbooks.

The legislation would allow teachers to use supplemental material “that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis and open and objective discussions of scientific theories being studied but not limited to evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning.”

State Rep. Frank Hoffman, R-West Monroe and House sponsor of the bill, said the amendment added in the House committee would prevent “any kind of crazy materials from being thrown in there” to supplement textbooks.