Florida: Final Public Meeting Underway, Part 9

God and science not incompatible.

32-16-1. [Incomplete count, FYI]

Joe Wolf. Pres. Florida Citizens for Science. Have Christian faith, accept evolution. Over 1500 signers to petition to accept the standards as written. 1000 from FL, rest from around the country. Reads Illinois science teacher comment. Recommending teaching in FL? Depends on whether Florida becomes the next Kansas. Teach all views in science class, need astrology etc. [Thanks, Joe!]

32-17-1.

Dallas Madrin. Sci. supervisor. Not just biology, but physics, chemistry, and geology are part of the story. Teachers don’t have time to go over many different ideas. How do you expect teachers to meld all different ideas into one curriculum? Many different religious beliefs. Bad standards can cause lawsuits. Local changes may be illegal. Einstein: things change. I’ll teach my grandchildren religion, evolution, and good science. I approve these standards.

32-18-1.

Richard Ellenberg. Teacher. I represent all the children that I teach. I was on the writing team. Four points. Any dilution or revision would be a disservice. Adopt as written.

32-19-1.

Cory Cappelle. Southeast Florida. DOE website mission statement. Concern with two phrases. Opportunity to increase knowledge and skills. Credentialed scientists object to evolution! Why not allow the discussion? Argumentum ad populum. Honor the mission statement, reject!

33-19-1.

Religion is basis…

34-19-1.

Do not confuse science and faith. Most of the evidence for Darwinism has been refuted or disputed. Blood clotting! Flower and bee co-evolution! Following the Pied Piper, is that science? Science said the world was flat. Scientists are indoctrinated by our educational system! I was! Faith in Evolution!

35-19-1.

Carl Wilson. Textbook author on science. Not here to debate evolution and creation. I have a conviction on this. I have a great concern. Our problems have been on definition. Micro-changes! A definition of science today that has not always been the definition. Problem in pride. Great shift came with Scopes trial, according to Zimmer. Creationists pushed for laws, law passed. Freedom of speech of evolutionists denied, then overturned the law. The presentation was faulty. Bryan was not a biblical creationist. He was criticizing Darwinism. Marx dedicating Das Kapital! Started in 16th century. Kant nebular hypothesis. Beginning of developmental theories in evolution. Kant’s theory of knowledge says Christians aren’t scientists. Hawking… Christian worldview and definition of science! If board adopts this science definition, there’s country-wide movement mumble mumble hook.

36-19-1.

Carol ??. SC912932 and 4 are redundant. Non-consecutive numbering in standards. Starred benchmarks are appropriate for testing. Recommend FCAT be replaced with end of year exams. Fully support life science standards. Interpretation that evolution is being taught as fact is erroneous. The scn4121 wording discusses this. Please consider the quality of the teachers, we will not disregard the sensitivity of our students, and we will present both sides. [So adopt the standards, but disregard them? –WRE]

36-19-2.

Genetics and information… didn’t evolve from one-celled animal or undesigned catastrophe. Immune system is evidence for design! Sperm doesn’t get rejected! Body has multitudinous operations. “I’m a scientist in a way” and support design. 17 steps in brain to squash a cockroach that evolution can’t explain! There is a super-intelligence somewhere, of course I believe in God, but a super-intelligence had to design us.

37-19-2.

Russell Bryant. History prof. Can’t say “Hitler won the 2nd world war”, it isn’t true. Creationism, ID not true, either. Darwin’s history. Fisher, relative to Darwin, put together the UK educational program that helped Britain survive WWII, “religion rots the brain”. Adopt the standards, needed for our future. [Not sure that the “rot” statement helped. –WRE]

37-20-2.

?? Sato. Science teacher. Standards writer. Lack of public understanding of the nature of science. Science does not impose on anyone’s personal religious beliefs. Make FL students competitive in the global community, adopt the standards.

37-21-2.

Frank Bessel. Order, accuracy, evidence… Darwin’s theory of natural selection cannot be duplicated, goes against ID. ID brings up order. Everything orderly replicates. Why teach theory that has no order? Random steps cannot be duplicated in study! [Never heard of Monte Carlo simulations, I guess. –WRE] Cannot produce workable device by letting natural selection take its course. [He missed engineering applications of evolutionary computation, too. –WRE] Flagellum! Video!!! Flagellum motor has all its parts and needs all of them! [Didn’t read the lit, either. –WRE] Teach intelligent design, not natural selection!

38-21-2.

Nancy Clintworth. UCF law, law and ethics. Please adopt the standards as written. It becomes apparent our students must compete in a global economy. Must be educated in scientific fact, not religious theory. Alternatives have no basis other than religious belief. Children attend by force of law. Captive audience in public school. Public school is inappropriate for theory based on religious beliefs. Phil. or theo. class for ID.

38-22-2.

Patricia Kemp. Humanists of Florida. Adopt…

38-23-2.

Diane is running a high temp, we are off to the clinic.