Jindal's Genetics Professor Speaks Out

suchandra · June 17, 2008

State of emergency in Louisiana, the Louisiana Senate has passed SB 733, a bill that creationists can use to force creationism into public school science classes.

Jindal, the Republican 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, carried more than half the vote against 11 opponents. With about 92 percent of the vote in, Jindal had 53 percent with 625,036 votes — more than enough to win outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff. "Let's give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," Jindal said to cheers and applause from a crowd that began chanting his name at his victory party.

Jindal's genetics professor speaks out

http://scienceblogs.com/tfk/2008/06/jindals_genetics_professor_spe.php

posted June 16, 2008

Category: Creationism • Culture Wars • Policy and Politics

Posted on: June 17, 2008 1:14 AM, by Josh Rosenau

In a press release from the Louisiana Coalition for Science, Governor Bobby Jindal's college genetics professor asks him not to "hold back the next generation of Louisiana's doctors." The press release introduces an open letter from the group calling for Jindal to veto SB 733, a bill which opens the door to creationism in the classroom,

Professor Arthur Landy, University Professor at Brown University who teaches in the medical school, taught the then-premed.

Governor Jindal

Landy says "Without evolution, modern biology, including medicine and biotechnology, wouldn't make sense. In order for today's students in Louisiana to succeed in college and beyond, in order for them to take the fullest advantages of all that the 21st century will offer, they need a solid grounding in genetics and evolution. Governor Jindal was a good student in my class when he was thinking about becoming a doctor, and I hope he doesn't do anything that would hold back the next generation of Louisiana's doctors."

Jindal passed up medical school for a Rhodes scholarship studying political science. Politics thus took him away from promising careers in medicine, law, or exorcism.

The full LCFS press release is below the fold or at http://lasciencecoalition.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Creationist bill clears Louisiana legislature

Louisiana Coalition for Science calls on Governor Jindal to veto SB 733

Baton Rouge, LA, June 16, 2008 The Louisiana Senate has passed SB 733, a bill that creationists can use to force creationism into public school science classes. The vote accepts an amendment approved by the Louisiana House of Representatives. The amendment allows the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to prohibit certain supplementary instructional materials but gives no guidance about the criteria BESE should use for such prohibition. The LA Coalition for Science (LCFS), a group of concerned parents, teachers and scientists, has called on Gov. Jindal to veto the bill through an open letter on its website at http://lasciencecoalition.org.

"This bill doesn't help teachers. It allows local school boards to open the doors of public school science classrooms to creationism with the blessing of the state," explains LCFS member Barbara Forrest, a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University. "Governor Jindal surely knows that evolution is not controversial in the mainstream scientific community. He majored in biology at Brown University, and he belongs to a church that considers evolution to be established science and approves of its being taught in its own parochial schools. The LA Family Forum is pushing this bill over the objections of scientists and teachers across the state. The governor has a moral responsibility to Louisiana children to veto this bill." Forrest was an expert witness on the history of intelligent design creationism in a 2005 federal court case in which teaching intelligent design in public schools was ruled unconstitutional. She is the co-author with Paul R. Gross of Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design.

Arthur Landy, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry in the Division of Biology and Medicine at Brown University, taught Jindal genetics in college. "Without evolution, modern biology, including medicine and biotechnology, wouldn't make sense," says Professor Landy. "In order for today's students in Louisiana to succeed in college and beyond, in order for them to take the fullest advantages of all that the 21st century will offer, they need a solid grounding in genetics and evolution. Governor Jindal was a good student in my class when he was thinking about becoming a doctor, and I hope he doesn't do anything that would hold back the next generation of Louisiana's doctors." Landy is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Academy of Microbiology.

Patsye Peebles, a veteran teacher from Baton Rouge and a member of LCFS, joins the call for Jindal to veto the bill. "If the governor wants to do more for Louisiana schools and their students, he should veto this bill," insists Peebles. "Teachers don't need the legislature and the governor telling them how to teach science, and we certainly don't need creationist supplementary textbooks being foisted on us. This bill doesn't solve any problems that teachers face, and it promises to create a whole lot of new problems for hard-working teachers."

In an open letter to Jindal posted on the LCFS website, the group refers to a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision which overturned a 1981 creationist law in Louisiana. The letter also points to the involvement of an out-of-state intelligent design think tank in promoting the current legislation. "SB 733 is a thinly disguised attempt to advance the 'Wedge Strategy' of the Discovery Institute," the letter explains. The Discovery Institute, LCFS points out, is "a creationist think tank that is collaborating with the LA Family Forum to get intelligent design (ID) creationism into LA public school science classes." The letter further warns that "If SB 733 is allowed to become law, we can anticipate the embarrassment that it will bring to the state, not to mention the prospect of spending millions of taxpayer dollars defending the inevitable federal court challenge." The economic effects of the bill would be more widespread, given the governor's own statement that because of a "skills gap," the "training and education of our citizens does not meet the requirements of available jobs." Observing that "SB 733 sends the wrong message to the nation if we want to develop additional high tech companies such as the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LIGO, and other research universities and centers across the state," LCFS adds, "SB 733 will sacrifice the education of our children to further the political and religious aims of the LA Family Forum and the Discovery Institute, an out-of-state creationist think tank whose only interest in Louisiana is promoting their agenda at the expense of our children." The full letter is available online at http://lasciencecoalition.org.

Louisiana Coalition for Science is a grassroots group working to protect the teaching of science in Louisiana. On the web at http://lasciencecoalition.org.

Contacts:

Barbara Forrest / barbara.forrest@gmail.com / 985-974-4244

Patsye Peebles / patsye.peebles@gmail.com / 225-336-9023

suchandra · June 17, 2008

LGF: Bobby Jindal Supports Teaching ‘Intelligent Design’

He tries to dance around the issue to avoid offending either side, but it’s clear that Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal favors the teaching of “intelligent design” in science classrooms. [Little Green Footballs]

http://phcoons.com/index.php/site/lgf_bobby_jindal_supports_teaching_intelligent_design/#When:10:14:00Z

suchandra · June 17, 2008

Gov. Bobby Jindal Supports Creationism As Part Of ‘The Very Best Science’

http://www.mister-info.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=10890&format=html

posted Tuesday, 17 June 2008

Governor Bobby Jindal, a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Louisiana, appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday and said he supports teaching intelligent design (ID) in public school as "the very best science." Jindal, who was elected governor in 2007, is a Hindu convert to Catholicism who takes the Bible literally.

In his exchange on the Sunday morning talkshow, "Some want only to teach intelligent design, some only want to teach evolution. I think both views are wrong, as a parent." This was the not the first time he has publicly supported intelligent design. In a September 2007 debate he supported the view of creationism saying, "Personally, it certainly makes sense to me that when you look at creation, you would believe in a creator."

In contrast, the scientific community considers creationism, including intelligent design, to be pseudoscience. Whereas, evolution is overwhelmingly accepted as a the foundation for modern biology.

Such ideas were underlined in 2005 when John E. Jones III, a federal judge appointed by George W. Bush, ruled in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District that "For the reasons that follow, we conclude that the religious nature of ID [intelligent design] would be readily apparent to an objective observer, adult or child" (page 24). Noting the tie between ID and creationism, "The evidence at trial demonstrates that ID is nothing less than the progeny of creationism" (page 31). He further explained, "ID’s backers have sought to avoid the scientific scrutiny which we have now determined that it cannot withstand by advocating that the controversy, but not ID itself, should be taught in science class. This tactic is at best disingenuous, and at worst a canard. The goal of the IDM is not to encourage critical thought, but to foment a revolution which would supplant evolutionary theory with ID" (page 89).

Recently, the Louisiana House of Representatives passed legislation, which the National Center for Science Education said "opens the door to creationism in public school science classes." Jindal is expected to sign the bill.

Jindal is currently considered a possible Vice President candidate for John McCain's U.S. Presidential campaign.

Sources

"Bobby Jindal interview". Face the Nation, June 15, 2008
"Jindal supports intelligent design as a viable science". The Raw Story, June 15, 2008
"Creationist bill passed by Louisiana House of Representatives". National Center for Science Education, June 12, 2008
"The Second Coming of Bobby Jindal". Time (magazine), Oct. 04, 2007
Wikinews

[url="http://www.mister-info.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=10866&format=html"]

suchandra · June 20, 2008

Looks like Hindus first have to become catholics in order tp preach in US.

Most scientists argue that intelligent design doesn't qualify as science.

Watch:

suchandra · June 22, 2008

Give a dog a bad name and hang him...as soon the satanists found out that Jindal is pro intelligent design, they opened the battue to bring him down.

Worldwide Appeal To Jindal To Drop Forced Fluoridation

Professionals Ask Governor Jindal to Veto Unfair Fluoridation Bill

NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Many professionals

world-wide are calling on Louisiana Governor Jindal to veto a bill which

would force fluoridation on almost the whole state. SB 312 was quietly

pushed through the legislature by PR firms without most Louisianans knowing

it was happening. The professionals are asking Jindal to use his veto in

the interest of fairness. Citizens should have been part of this discussion

but they were not.

Fluoride is added to water ostensibly to reduce tooth decay but

according to many professionals contacting Jindal, recent evidence

indicates that fluoride poses many health dangers (NRC, 2006).

Paul Connett, PhD, Director, Fluoride Action Network asks, "If

fluoridation is a source of pride to the dental lobby why didn't they

present their case openly and allow the legislators to hear experts from

both sides? The public should be fully informed about measures that could

adversely affect their health. This shouldn't be done by stealth."

Among professionals writing to Jindal are Dr. Kathleen Thiessen, and

Dr. Robert Issacson, panel members of "Fluoride in Drinking Water," a

landmark review by the National Research Council (NRC, 2006); Dr. Doug

Everingham, a former Australian Health Minister and Dr. Vyvyan Howard,

president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment. They

are among 1700 professionals calling for an end to water fluoridation

worldwide. See http://www.FluorideAlert.org

With American Dental Association funding, the Louisiana Dental

Association (LDA), hired public relations and lobbying firms to promote the

fluoridation bill. The LDA boasts that they have huge access to

legislators. On their website they state that their activities include "the

use of staff and contract lobbyists, governmental publications, legislative

reporting service, dinners for legislators, Dentists' Day at the

Legislature, and VoterVOICE!"

Connett says, "In the interest of fairness, Governor Jindal should Veto

the fluoridation bill, so that citizens can find out what fluoridation

entails and allow legislators to hear the latest evidence of fluoride's

dangers. Governor Jindal has been tipped as a future leader and more than

anything else people expect leaders to act fairly."

The Fluoride Action Network asks all concerned citizens to contact Gov.

Jindal to veto SB 312 by sending an online message at

http://la2.fluoridealert.org or phoning 225-342-7015 or 866-366-1121.

</pre>

suchandra · June 30, 2008

Bobby Jindal Signs Law Allowing Intelligent Design in Louisiana Schools

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08062706.html

30 June 2008

Teachers can be permitted to supplement textbook discussion on evolution, global warming, human cloning

By Peter J. Smith

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, June 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Louisiana public school teachers can now educate their students about the theory of intelligent design and scientific criticisms of Darwinian evolutionary theory thanks to a new law signed this week by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. The Louisiana Science Education Act now allows teachers to supplement the state's curricula with additional scientific materials, but groups opposed to any debate over the "origin of the species" have warned that the new law will become the origin of the lawsuits if they believe it facilitates religion.

Lawmakers, however, were enthusiastically in favor of the Act signed by Jindal. The state Senate had passed the bill (SB733) with a unanimous vote, and the state House had approved it by a vote of 93-4.

The new law requires teachers to follow the standard curriculum, but allows a school district to permit a teacher to supplement his course with additional scientific evidence, analysis, and critiques regarding the scientific topics taught to his students.

One major goal of the law is to support an "open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning" in public elementary and secondary schools.

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) will be required, at the request of local school boards, to "include support and guidance for teachers regarding effective ways to help students understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review scientific theories being studied."

Supporters of the law have hailed it as a great step forward for academic freedom in the face of dogmatic proponents of evolution and man-made global warming, who have mischaracterized scientific/philosophical alternatives as "religion."

Jindal, a Catholic with a biology degree, indicated his own affirmation of the bill in a statement saying: "I will continue to consistently support the ability of school boards and BESE to make the best decisions to ensure a quality education for our children."

Critics of the law have countered it opens a backdoor for putting religious views that they claim would sacrifice science into the classroom.

The Louisiana Coalition for Science called SB 733 "a thinly disguised attempt to advance the 'Wedge Strategy' of the Discovery Institute (DI), a creationist think tank that is collaborating with the LA Family Forum to get intelligent design (ID) creationism into LA public school science classes."

Americans United for Separation of Church and State warned that a lawsuit would come if they believed the bill was introducing religion into the schoolroom. Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman, on the other hand, admitted that as long as teachers follow the law as written, and did not introduce religion, it should be fine.

Section 1D clearly states that the law "shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion."

Intelligent Design advocates say ID has no direct bearing on religion and is neither a religious proposition nor "creationist," because it is in fact a rational philosophic position older than Christianity. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle taught from observation that matter - which tends toward chaos - was ordered into distinguishable forms, and that everything in a chain of causes must have a first cause, or "prime mover."

Only later did Christianity introduce Western science to the doctrine of "creationism" or "creation ex-nihilo" - the idea that the universe was created out of nothing and is constantly kept in existence by God's power. Before this contribution, many philosophers and scientists did not consider the universe had a beginning in time.