Florida Ciizens for Science reports that their brand new state science standards are available for comment. That means you can click over there and make suggestions, even if you aren't a Florida educator (they do ask for your connection, so don't worry that the creationist mob can just descend on this poor document and taint it). Make good, productive, constructive suggestions, and help the kids of Florida.
I haven't gone through it carefully yet, but my general impression is that the evolution standards are broad, but good; on the other hand, the organismal biology standards read like a med school prep course, and don't say much about the concepts of physiology. So they're not bad, but they could use some improvement…so help them out!
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I'd like to find where I could register in scienceblogs.com
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Yes, go comment! Our newspapers are filled with people complaining that we keep sticking to the facts in our standards.
Plus, I was a groupie for one of the FLScience guys long before I found PZ. He/They have worked hard and need our support.
I used to write instructional science material for Florida public schools. Wasn't allowed to use the word "evolution" although we were allowed to teach natural selection.
re: this and that Huckabee comment a bit earlier... there's a question I uploaded for 10questions.com, which has just hit the site (if it's dropped off the "New Videos" list by the time you get there, look for "What Would You Do for Science" by William131072 ). If we vote it up, maybe we can get a chance to pin down *every* candidate on what they'd do to insulate science from political pressures (including creationism) and make sure it has what it needs to do the job, from grade school on up.
Thanks for the link, PZ. We'll take all the help we can get here in Florida.
Thanks PZ!!! I posted links about this in the comments to the Ben Stein Bill O post from yesterday.
We need your help. Florida is a scary place. To get a good idea of what we're up against, read the comments left on the Orlando Sentinel article from last week. From those comments, it appears we're outnumbered by about 8 to 1.
I personally spent 3 hours reviewing and commenting on the standards 2 nights ago. I had to stop a look up a few terms myself before deciding if it's what the kids should be taught :o)
The amount of stupid that swirled about in those first 18 comments at the Orlando Sentinel link made my brain cells hurt ... the last two, while poorly written, were reasonable.
Is it fair to suggest that Florida rely on the advice of the experts that the state has hired instead of asking the public? Why not look to the biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and physics departments (among others) at the state universities to get _their_ input? It is far more informed than that of random joe from down the street or Reverend John from the local Evolutionists-Burn-in-Hell revival tent.
Come on. Some of those comments have to be a put on. I mean noone would seriously say, "I believe in the 'Big Bang' theory. GOD said it and BANG it happened," right? RIGHT?!?!? [Jimi curls up in a fetal ball and begins babbling incoherently]
Wow. I'm bothering to review it (comments, etc) - this is high school?? I TEACH high school biology (here in cobb county georgia it's ninth graders) - if these are actually the regular biology standards, only about 1% of ANY of my students would be passing. The anat and phys section is college level; if taught at high school level it should be AP or IB anat and phys. Some of the standards are good, but they need people with classroom experience on their standards committee.
hmmmm, isn't that where Cheri Pearson Yecke, exCommissioner of Education in MN, got imported to by another Bush? And didn't she try to stuff creationism into the science standards at the last minute here, AFTER the panel of writers hadn't? Watch out, Florida science people--stay alert at every step if she's still there...
I'd like to find where I could register in scienceblogs.com
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