01/30/2004: 
Criminally Absurd
Proposal for Georgia Schools will Eliminate "Evolution" from Curriculum
via CNN
ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The state's school superintendent has proposed striking the word evolution from Georgia's science curriculum and replacing it with the phrase "biological changes over time."
The change is included in more than 800 pages of draft revisions to Georgia's curriculum that have been posted by the Department of Education on its Web site. The middle and high school standards are expected to be voted on by the state Board of Education in May, after public feedback.
Superintendent Kathy Cox said the concept of evolution would still be taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used. The proposal would not require schools to buy new textbooks omitting the word evolution and would not prevent teachers from using it.
Despite potentially striking another blow against common sense, one legislator apparently didn't think this proposal went far enough:
"If you're teaching the concept without the word, what's the point?" said Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican. "It's stupid. It's like teaching gravity without using the word gravity."
2 Annotations Submitted
Friday the 30th of January, Abe Froman noted:
Funny thing about this, I once had a Philosophy final where we had to write a paper on "What is gravity?" And the reasoning was to help classify terms. "Gravity," first, is indeed a word. Second it is an idea, "what goes up must come down, pull from moving object, etc." And third it is a reality, "A force of nature, a law of physics."
I mention this because it becasue wether Bobby Franklin knows it or not he might be making an arguement for why this is stupid. In "Evolutions" case the same rules apply, a word, an idea, a corresponding reality; A = B = C if you will. Eliminating the word does not eliminate the idea or the reality, it only makes you sound ignorant.
Now lets be honest here "Biological changes over time"? Yeah its called evolving or de-evolving! Which way is the Georgia school system going?
Friday the 30th of January, Cletus noted:
We don't need none of that thar fancy city learnin!
