On Friday, National Public Radio put the spotlight on Louisiana and its Science Education Act. The All Things Considered segment was less than flattering. Meet West Monroe assistant principal Danny Pennington who has created a PowerPoint presentation to document the "weaknesses with the theory" of evolution, and Baton Rouge biology teacher Patsy Peebles, who says, "We didn't need someone to tell us to introduce critical thinking into the classroom because we already teach critical thinking." Listen to and read "Louisiana Law Protects Evolution Skeptics In Class."
On another front in this modern-backwards-Scopes-Monkey-Trial-spectacle, in a posting to its website titled "No Thanks, New Orleans," the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology recently announced: "SICB President Rich Satterlie informed Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal that the SICB will not come to New Orleans for the 2011 annual meeting because of the state law that undermines science education and attacks teaching evolution." In the letter, Satterlie notes that for its 2009 meeting, the group brought 1,850 people to Boston for five days. "SICB is joining other scientific organizations in suggesting professional societies reconsider any plans to host meetings in Louisiana. As scientists, it is our responsibility to oppose anti-science initiatives." Read the PDF of the letter here.