M.I.T.’s online magazine Undark recently published a deep dive story about efforts to undermine the teaching of global warming facts in public schools: In America’s Science Classrooms, the Creep of Climate Skepticism: Conservative groups are working hard to challenge the teaching of mainstream climate science in schools. In Florida, they’ve found a winning strategy. The writer, Sean […]
Author: Brandon
Blatant creationism in “Schools Without Rules”
The Orlando Sentinel has been running an excellent investigative series called “Schools Without Rules” about private schools that accept public money in the form of various types of scholarships (otherwise known as vouchers). The articles have been documenting “problems in some scholarship schools, including campuses that hired teachers without degrees and with criminal records, forged […]
The looming Storms
For those of you who have been along for the ride with me since the early days, you very likely know one of the most polarizing anti-evolution characters of 2008: Ronda Storms. If you don’t know her or just need a refresher, Storms sponsored and went all in for a bill in the state Senate […]
It’s March already?
2018 started off with a bang for me. We’re heading into the final week of the state’s annual legislative session and I’ve been very active in telling the public all about a couple of bills that could significantly impact science education, especially lessons on evolution and climate change. Right now it looks like neither bill […]
Yes, “just a theory” is getting under my skin
I’ve been hearing the “evolution is just a theory” crap much too often lately. And I imagine I’ll be hearing much more of it in the coming months. It prompted me to use it as the theme of my latest opinion column, this time published in the Daytona Beach News Journal today: Banish ‘evolution is just […]
Painful word count limits
A column I wrote was published today in the Orlando Sentinel: Attacks on science education intensify — push back, Florida. I tried to keep the length down. My original version was about 860 words. But the Sentinel needed it to be below 700. There is so much important information, making it painfully difficult to cut the […]
Teaching that global warming is caused by human activity is “blatant indoctrination”
The Associated Press issued a story today about the new Instructional Materials bill approved by our Florida legislature and signed by our governor earlier this year: New Florida law expected to increase conflict over textbooks. Reporter Terry Spencer took on the massive task of asking every Florida school district for records of any textbook challenges so […]
Education a target for Constitution Revision Commission
Every two decades a commission is charged with reviewing the Florida constitution and suggesting changes to it. I admit that I know very little about the process, so I will rely on you folks to educate me and guide me through the process. I do know that the commission has held public hearings and after […]
The controversy “will never be over”
The Orlando Sentinel’s School Zone blog posted a short story about the new “controversial theories” bill recently filed by Sen. Dennis Baxley: Sen. Baxley files school bill to require ‘controversial’ science topics be taught in ‘balanced’ way. State Sen. Dennis Baxley, who once said controversy about evolution being taught in public schools “will never be over,” […]
“Controversial theories” science education bill filed in Florida senate”
We’ve got a live one. This past Friday Sen. Dennis Baxley filed a bill in our state legislature concerning public education. Senate Bill 966’s purpose is to revise “the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards; providing that such standards are the minimum baseline core content standards for K-12 public schools.” In other words, Baxley would like […]