Why It's Good to Know the Subject of a Conference Before Agreeing to Speak

Here's an interesting tidbit from a blogger for the Indianapolis Star:

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett hurriedly called this morning to be removed from the speakers list at an annual conference on Creationism after accidentally agreeing to speak, said Cam Savage, his spokesman.

The Creation Evidence Expo 2009 listed Bennett on the speakers list for its September conference in Indianapolis. (Speakers list here.) Other speakers include scientists and science teachers who advocate Creationism, the belief the world was created by God as described in the Bible, rather than scientific theories about the creation of the universe.
Bennett had met with the conference's organizer, the Rev. Fredrick Boyd, about a mentoring program, Savage said. As they talked, Boyd asked Bennett to come speak at his conference, and the superintendent agreed. But Bennett had assumed he would be speaking about the future of Indiana education and did not know the topic of the conference, Savage said.

Bennett, a former science teacher, agrees with the Indiana standards for science, which include the teaching of evolution, Savage said.

That last line provides some comfort, I suppose.

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Actually, I think it's a shame he didn't go to speak there; he could have provided some desperately needed REALITY for these people.

~David D.G.

By David D.G. (not verified) on 30 Jun 2009 #permalink

David, I'm glad for his sake that he didn't. Mr. Bennett, I'm sure, has better things to do with his time (and sanity) than be ambushed at a Loony Club meeting.

By Pseudonym (not verified) on 30 Jun 2009 #permalink

He was quite correct to withdraw.

No amount of reasoned input can sway these utterly insane troglodytes from abandoning their dangerous genocidal mental parasites.

By Michael Kingsf… (not verified) on 04 Jul 2009 #permalink