Letter: Bills about religion, not science

• Published: May 9, 2008 - Page: 8B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Louisiana Science Teachers Association urges all citizens concerned about science education to immediately contact the Louisiana House Education Committee and their Senate and House legislators requesting that they carefully consider the consequences should either Senate Bill 733, the Louisiana Science Education Act, or House Bill 1168, the Louisiana Academic Freedom Act, become law.

The origin and history of these companion bills, crafted and supported by the Louisiana Family Forum, are a direct attempt to allow, indeed encourage, the teaching of religious doctrines in public schools. While there has been an overt attempt to disguise the true thrust of these bills, there is no mistaking the real reason behind them.

These bills will not support effective science teaching in Louisiana public schools. It is the LSTA’s view that they undermine years of work to improve the teaching and learning of science in our schools.

LSTA’s primary objections to these bills are:

• They are unnecessary as students are already challenged to use inquiry methods and think critically.
• They will open the door for all manner of religious instruction by a teacher, and not just Christianity as presented by the LFF.

The doctrine supported by the LFF does not represent the beliefs of all religious groups in Louisiana. The history of the United States provides valuable lessons that must be heeded. Members of religious groups provide evidence in their daily lives of their faith and commitment to their religious beliefs; however, the advocacy of religious doctrines and practices has no place in the public school curriculum.

Many LSTA members have served on Louisiana Department of Education education panels to develop our state science standards and grade-level expectations to reflect the established consensus of the scientific community. We as science educators work to ensure that the teaching of science in all courses and at all levels provides opportunities for open discussion, critical thinking and problem-solving.

It is with a great sense of urgency that the Louisiana Science Teachers Association requests that you look past the rhetoric and discern the true forces and meaning within these bills. Passage of either one sets a dangerous precedent. These legislative efforts allow the teaching of a religious belief in science classes, a violation of the United States Constitution, and are a direct attack on scientific evidence and literacy of our citizenry.

The teaching of religious beliefs should be relegated to our homes and not our public schools.

Brenda Nixon, Ph.D.
science education program director
Louisiana Science Teachers Association
Greenwell Springs