Just something to note. I have been reading through some of the news reports on the Florida Bill and came across this quote by Hays in an article from the Miami Herald:

Neither Hays nor his co-sponsor, Brandon Republican Sen. Ronda Storms, could name any teachers in Florida who have been disciplined for being critical of evolution in the science classroom. Better known for his ”Win Ben Stein’s Money” game show, Stein made the documentary to document how evolution critics have supposedly run afoul of mainstream science in higher academics.

“I want a balanced policy. I want students taught how to think, not what to think,” Hays says. “There are problems with evolution. Have you ever seen a half-monkey, half human?”

http://www.miamiherald.com/458/v-print/story/451272.html

I do believe the last sentence says it all. It might be useful to note that apparently Hays’ bill is aimed at allowing folks to question an apparition of his mind that he is putting forth. Whatever the reason – intentionally disingenuousness or genuine misunderstanding – that kind of erroneous thinking should be noted.

Your line about “(teaching) that science and scientists are untrustworthy” hits the nail on the head. I wish we could make people choose- accept science or reject it. If you don’t want to accept the evidence that science presents, please don’t accept medicine, technology, or all of the good things that science offers (and they happily accept).

Please send your outstanding article to as many newspapers as possible.

O/T question for you: are the Reports of the National Center for Science Education getting behind in publication – or is this a normal time-lag? The latest RNCSE posted is from early 2007.

did notice one typo, though:

“that evolution be the subject of “critically analysis”.”