Today's Sermon: Surrender, Kansas!

If you haven't been keeping up with the Kansas Board of Education's determination to make the God of Abraham part of its state science curriculum, you can google the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the backstory.

To make a long story short (editing out all of those annoying "begats"), the Kansas Board of Ed voted to give the God of Abraham-- and only the God of Abraham-- equal billing with the theory of evolution (and the scientific method) in its public school textbooks and required curricula.

But no one expected 2 science groups -- and a 3rd-- to "just say no" to the arrangement.

2 Science Groups Say Kansas Can't Use Their Evolution Papers

By JODI WILGOREN
Published: October 27, 2005

CHICAGO, Oct. 27 - Two leading science organizations have denied the Kansas board of education permission to use their copyrighted materials in the state's proposed new science standards because of the standards' critical approach to evolution.

The National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Teachers Association said the much-disputed new standards "will put the students of Kansas at a competitive disadvantage as they take their place in the world."

Competitive disadvantage...

Hm.

Copyright infringement means that those Kansas Board of Ed fundies can't just cherry pick tried and tested scientific content for their fictional science curricula without facing serious legal problems.

As for the innocent children depending on their states to offer classroom and laboratory subject matter that will prepare them for further post high school study and beyond (if they so choose)...

Fuggetaboutit in Kansas.

Those poor kids are fast becoming not just prime candidates for college admissions boards' famous circular filing systems, they're on the fast track to academic cocktail party joke status.

Sure, they can get into Kansas public community colleges and probably into the Kansas state university system, but if these fundies don't back off from this infinitely stupid God of Abraham Science Class crap, the name "Kansas" will soon become synonymous with "Application Denied."

Ask any kid from rural Texas who's been denied acceptance at major universities because their local school board didn't recognize the importance of outfitting their science labs with Bunsen burners.

It happens all of the time.

Wait a minute. Scratch what I just wrote about admission to the U of K system.

From the University of Kansas system website:

KS Board of Regents Curriculum

* English: 4 units required
At least one year of English or language arts must be successfully completed for each year of high school.
* Natural Science: 3 units required
At least one year must be in chemistry or one year must be in physics. Students must successfully complete three years of natural sciences such as: - Biology
- Advanced Biology
- Chemistry
- Physical Science
- Physics
* Mathematics: 3 units required
Students must successfully complete three years of mathematics at the Algebra I level and beyond.
* Social Sciences: 3 units required
Satisfy this requirement by completing three years of social sciences such as U.S. History, U.S. Government, world history, or world geography.
* Computer Technology: 1 unit required
One year of computer technology (basic computer/software skills) is required.

Ahem...

Competitive admission to KU schools

The school you are interested in may have more rigorous and competitive admission standards.

Kiss Med School goodbye, parents: Behold! I send you out as sheep...