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A six-member committee of teachers, college professors and curriculum experts nominated by the Texas State Board of Education has released its recommendation for new standards for the biology curriculum. The recommendation would eliminate the teaching of ideas "based upon purported forces outside of nature." The proposal would also remove language in the current standards requiring that students be taught the "strengths and weaknesses" of all scientific theories.

Kevin Fisher, a science coordinator from the Lewisville school district and a member of the committee, said they wanted to ensure that evolution was presented in a "21st century," "unadulterated fashion" and to clarify that a scientific theory is more than just an educated guess.

It ain't gonna be easy, though. Don McLeroy, the state board chairman, opposes removing the "strengths and weaknesses" language:

This is the same person who is on record as believing that there are two systems of science, a creationist system and a "naturalist" system.

The fact that the chairman of the state board of education doesn't understand science and is willing to call a narrowly sectarian religious idea "science" is more than enough reason to fear for science education in the state. And not just in Texas. McLeroy is also on record as saying that he prefers the "strengths and weaknesses" language because it allows the board to reject a textbook that doesn't cover the "weaknesses" of evolution. As the second largest purchaser of school textbooks after California, what Texas demands be included in the books it buys greatly influences what will be available across the nation, since publishers won't want to produce multiple editions.

Mealy mouthed as always, McLeroy will be coming at the issue sideways:

But science has all the scientific answers and why would there be a need to teach nonscientific "answers" in a science class?

It's going to be a tough (and, unfortunately, political) fight. Seven of fifteen board members appear to support, at least to some extent, the teaching of the "weaknesses" of evolution in science classrooms. Six are opposed, and two ? Geraldine Miller, R-Dallas, and Rick Agosto, D-San Antonio ? are considered swing votes. People in Texas who like being beyond the horse and buggy days will have to get busy.

As is more and more the case these days, the charge of "elitism" and "censorship" has already raised its ugly (and disingenuous) head:

But "true" science is "elitist," in the sense that not every person's opinion is equal. The person with empirical and testable facts and theories on his or her side wins in science. Of course, science is the opposite of elitism at the same time, since anyone can go out and find those empirical facts and construct those testable theories. Do that and there is no way you can be censored.

What you can't do is just import "facts" and "theories" from bronze age mythologies.
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