Category Archives for science

2014 in Quotes: The War on Science

It’s time for the Texas Freedom Network’s review of the nonsense we heard from the far right this year. We’ll take up a different subject each day. Today: The right’s war on science — especially on climate science and the teaching of evolution — roared onward in 2014.  Click here to read quotes from the right […]

Also posted in TFNEF, The Year in Quotes | 4 Comments

Don McLeroy and His ‘False Ideas’ about Science — Total Defeat

“False ideas are the greatest obstacle to progress. Evolution, the idea that all life is descended from a common ancestor, is a false idea.” — Don McLeroy (@DonMcLeroy) November 26, 2014 “False ideas are the greatest obstacle to progress. Evolution, the idea that all life is descended from a common ancestor, is a false idea.” […]

Also posted in climate change, Don McLeroy, evolution | 2 Comments

The Most EPIC Animated GIF Ever Created in the 4.5 Billion-Year History of the Earth

Offered without comment (via this Popular Science profile of friend of TFN, and last year’s EPIC Evening keynote speaker, Bill Nye the Science Guy).

Also posted in Bill Nye | 1 Comment

Rick Perry Stands Up for Science? Oh Please.

Interesting tweet from Team Rick Perry today:  “Science needs to be part of the conversation on decriminalization of drugs.” @GovernorPerry #WEF14 #health http://t.co/4FoLbhTRyj — Team Rick Perry (@TeamRickPerry) January 23, 2014 Wait. Is this the same Rick Perry who says Texas public school science classes should teach creationism alongside evolution? Who, in fact, claimed in […]

Also posted in Rick Perry, TFNEF | 9 Comments

TFN Calls for Investigation of Texas Charter School Operator Amid Allegations of Politicized Curriculum Materials

Ideologues trying to politicize our children’s classrooms aren’t just focused on traditional public schools. A report published today alleges that one of the largest charter school operators in Texas is using curriculum materials to indoctrinate students with anti-science and right-wing propaganda. We just sent out this press release: The president of the Texas Freedom Network […]

Also posted in charter schools, Responsive Education Solutions, social studies, TFNEF | 11 Comments

TFNEF Report: Scholars Give Proposed Texas Biology Textbooks Thumbs Up on Evolution Coverage

Today the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund has some good news about proposed new high school biology textbooks in Texas. A review of the new textbooks by science scholars at Texas universities shows that publishers have largely resisted — so far — efforts by political activists to include junk science that weakens coverage of evolution. […]

Also posted in creationism, evolution, intelligent design, Science adoption (2013), State Board of Education, TFNEF | 7 Comments

Creationist Chair of Texas Ed Board Refuses to Explain Her Interference in Science Textbook Review

Was Texas State Board of Education Chair Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, trying to influence the work of the panels reviewing proposed new high school biology textbooks last week? Cargill, a creationist who has insisted that textbooks should teach “another side” when discussing evolution, met with the panels last Wednesday (July 31). We now know that those […]

Also posted in Barbara Cargill, creationism, evolution, Science adoption (2013), State Board of Education, TFNEF | 12 Comments

Texas Ed Board Member Asks: What Was SBOE Chair Cargill Up To?

Our report that Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) Chair Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, appeared to be interfering on Wednesday with the independent teams reviewing proposed new biology textbooks became a topic of discussion at a state board workshop session today. As the session was about to end, SBOE member Marisa Perez, D-San Antonio, expressed her concerns […]

Also posted in Barbara Cargill, creationism, evolution, Marisa Perez, Science adoption (2013), State Board of Education, TFNEF | 14 Comments

Why Was Creationist Texas Ed Board Chair Barbara Cargill Interfering with the Science Textbook Reviews on Wednesday?

According to at least one observer inside the Austin hotel ballroom where reviewers are going over proposed new science textbooks for Texas public schools, State Board of Education (SBOE) Chairwoman Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, spent much of Wednesday working with those supposedly independent panels. Cargill is one of the state board’s leading evolution critics. During […]

Also posted in Barbara Cargill, creationism, evolution, intelligent design, Science adoption (2013), State Board of Education, TFNEF | 31 Comments

Creationist Demands That Houston Museum Ban Atheists and Science Supporters

OK, so who is being intolerant here? Houston-area creationist David Shormann, author of The Exchange of Truth: Liberating the World from the Lie of Evolution, says members of several Houston organizations who support sound science education are intolerant, anti-Christian bigots. And he wants a Houston museum to bar those groups from using its facilities to educate the […]

Also posted in creationism, evolution, intelligent design, Science adoption (2013), TFNEF | 43 Comments