Intelligent Design Legislation in New York

For those thinking that the religious right are only busy in the South and Midwest, there is religious right activity throughout the country even in some of our largest cities. As progressives we must be aware that the attack on our schools and freedom of thought is occurring across the country in a coordinated manner.

Below is an alert for New York residents from the National Center for Science Education (NCSE, it organizes against the teaching of creationism and Intelligent Design in public schools). A bill has been introduced in the NY State Assembly to require public schools to teach the so-called intelligent design. Unlikely to get very far, but NCSE still provides information to the text of the bill and more.

The NCSE website has information about the rather more successful efforts of ID proponents in other states.

Also of possible interest: in Jan-Feb 05 AAUP journal, Academe, there was article, "Wedging Creationism into the Academy Education Week story

Proponents of this theory about the nature of creation struggle to gain purchase within academia.

And, since you've probably heard about the recent debates about evolution in Kansas, here is a link to about it that in turn has more information.

Dear New York friends of NCSE,

Assembly Bill 8036, introduced on May 3, 2005, and referred to the
Committee on Education, would require that "all pupils in grades
kindergarten through twelve in all public schools in the state ... receive instruction in both theories of intelligent design and evolution." It also charges New York's commissioner of education to assist in developing curricula and local boards of education to provide "appropriate training and curriculum materials ... to ensure that all aspects of the theories, along with any supportive data, are fully examined through such course of study." A08036, if enacted, would take effect immediately. Richard Firenze, who teaches biology at Broome Community College, remarked, "This bill is completely absurd. Those of us in New York who are concerned about our children's science education should sit up and take notice: it's not just in places like Georgia and Kansas that creationists are trying to sabotage biology education." The bill's sole sponsor, Daniel L. Hooker (R), represents Assembly District 127, encompassing parts of Greene, Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie, Ulster, Columbia, and Chenango counties. Hooker also recently introduced bills that would, if enacted, permit the display of the Ten Commandments on public buildings and grounds (A08073), declassify sexual orientation from civil right status (A07916), and prohibit the solemnization of same-sex marriages (A07723).