# Texas: Poised to promote another generation of evolution and climate-change Deniers **URL:** \ **Category:** Science and Technology\ **Created:** [September 18, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070 "2013-09-18T02:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![timb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@timb](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/timb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/1 "2013-09-18T02:34:08Z")
The textbooks that Texas schools use, tend to be mass produced for other states, as well. Currently, a board made up of 10 Republicans and 5 Democrats, will soon decide whether to approve the “Science” textbooks that deny climate change and promote religious ideas to replace the Theory of Evolution. > **[Texas reignites debate over evolution, climate change in science textbooks](https://www.rt.com/usa/texas-textbooks-evolution-creationism-990/)** > > The decade-plus battle in Texas on whether to teach lessons on evolution and climate change flared up again Tuesday, as advocates on both sides pled their case in a debate on proposed high school biology textbooks. ---
**Author:** ![vyazma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d9b06d/32.png) [@vyazma](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/vyazma)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/2 "2013-09-18T03:14:30Z")
Yeah Europe had to go through their Dark Ages. Maybe this is our Dark Ages? ---
**Author:** ![bigandrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigandrewm](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/bigandrewm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/3 "2013-09-18T03:25:13Z")
Dammit, I hoped that at least enough of that board got trounced in their last election that we wouldn’t be hearing about this again this year. It’s people who promote idiotic stuff like that which make it really hard to support States’ rights in favor of Federal rights - ironic, given that it’s Texas. You want your State to have more autonomy? Stop doing bat-stupid-crazy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![timb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@timb](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/timb)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/4 "2013-09-19T02:09:13Z")
The most insidious aspect of this likely debacle, is that the texts approved by Texas will likely be the ones used by other states (I presume for economic reasons). Obama has promoted the development and use of e-books in schools. This might ameliorate some of the costs of textbooks. It could also facilitate easier and less costly updating of textbooks. If the reactionary Republicans continue to control the government (and school boards) in Texas and want their children to be guided by 17th century ideas, at least this would not necessarily be imposed on other states. ---
**Author:** ![lois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@lois](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lois)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/5 "2013-09-19T15:38:22Z")
> The most insidious aspect of this likely debacle, is that the texts approved by Texas will likely be the ones used by other states (I presume for economic reasons). Obama has promoted the development and use of e-books in schools. This might ameliorate some of the costs of textbooks. It could also facilitate easier and less costly updating of textbooks. If the reactionary Republicans continue to control the government (and school boards) in Texas and want their children to be guided by 17th century ideas, at least this would not necessarily be imposed on other states. With digital publishing, this problem should disappear within at most 10 years. School districts will be able to design and print their own textbooks. They can include or leave out any part they don't like. The technology is available now, but it will take a while for school districts to get up to speed. I predict that each state will eventually have its own textbook printing and publishing facility, either state owned or contracted out. Or, even more likely, textbooks will be available on computers rather than as physical books. We've had enough of Texas creationist shenanigans. For once modern technology can trump stupidity and Neanderthal tactics. Let Texas be the creationist state. ---
**Author:** ![occam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@occam](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/occam)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/6 "2013-09-19T15:49:08Z")
That’s fine for the states who already have an intelligent education administration, Lois. However, I’ll bet there will be quite a few of them that say, “Duh, wull Texas is the biggest state so they must know what their doin’. Ah thinks we should jus’ copy them.” Occam ---
**Author:** ![lois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@lois](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lois)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/7 "2013-09-19T16:12:39Z")
> That's fine for the states who already have an intelligent education administration, Lois. However, I'll bet there will be quite a few of them that say, "Duh, wull Texas is the biggest state so they must know what their doin'. Ah thinks we should jus' copy them." Occam Let 'em. They can be the Federation of Creationist States. And no employer worth his salt should ever hire anyone who went to a creationist school for anything above floor sweeper. ---
**Author:** ![write4u](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/write4u/32/23410_2.png) [@write4u](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/write4u)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/8 "2013-09-19T20:23:03Z")
Don’t worry. with all the cutbacks in social programs, no one will be able to afford to buy any school books . Then of course the State must distribute them, and very subtly separation of Church and State will become a thing of the past and we’ll join our Muslim brothers in practicing theocracy. ---
**Author:** ![ijabdulhakeem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/22d042/32.png) [@ijabdulhakeem](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/ijabdulhakeem)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/9 "2013-09-20T22:32:27Z")
Maybe the anti-evolutionists should see this [http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IIEflawed.shtml](http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IIEflawed.shtml) [http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IVAandreligion.shtml](http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IVAandreligion.shtml) [http://www.nas.edu/evolution/Compatibility.html](http://www.nas.edu/evolution/Compatibility.html) ---
**Author:** ![timb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@timb](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/timb)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/texas-poised-to-promote-another-generation-of-evolution-and-climate-change-deniers/3070/10 "2013-09-21T01:52:15Z")
> Maybe the anti-evolutionists should see this http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IIEflawed.shtml http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IVAandreligion.shtml http://www.nas.edu/evolution/Compatibility.html This is good stuff, but I think that many anti-evolutionists, don't want science and religion to be separate. I think that they want science to be seen as supporting their religious beliefs. And they only consider science to be compatible with religion as long as it does not threaten any of their religious beliefs, no matter how at odds with reality the particular belief might be.