Intelligence - 1, Ignorance - 0 (This time)

Thankfully, another ignorant, self-righteous prick has been forced out of power in the Texas education system. Although their Board of Education Chairman is still in power as far I can tell, this man is far worse, saying horrendously ignorant things like, "Is understanding of evolution 'vital' to the understanding of biology? No." This man has helped in trying to change the Texas textbook standards that could effect the rest of the nation, with a religious, Christian-centric bent. He truly believes the earth is only a few thousand years old, contrary to well-established scientific knowledge, and apparently believes children should be taught that in their schools.
He also believes that minorities should be thankful to the majority (read the white, Christian/Evangelical male subtext) for getting them their rights. Because, of course, they had no hand in it, like the civil rights movement or female suffrage. It's just too bad that he'll still be in his position until the end of the year, he may still be able to affect other people's lives with his close-minded and egotistical ramblings.

Welcome to Energy Solutions Elementary

A bill was introduced last month by Jim Bird of the Utah State legislature, HB393, that would allow advertising on school buses, something at least six other states have done. It was rejected last Friday. They did, however, OK a bill that could end bus service for kids all over the state. I find this a terrible choice, and a decision that could harm our children in untold ways. I think we should allow this creeping commercialization into and onto our child's' buses, but why stop there? Considering the failure that our education system has evidently become, why not privatize and commercialize the the entire system? I can see a day where I proudly send by kids to M&M Mini's Elementary School, where every child will have a computer and a chance to learn their importance in society as a consumer. From there they will go on to Hershey's Kisses Junior High where important social skills will be learned and they will be introduced to the intricacies of capitalism. In Snickers High, our children will be prepared for the world through the arts, higher maths and a love of branding and commercialism. The only other option we have is to let the state continue to run the education system in the ground by firing teachers, increasing class sizes, and if state Senator Chris Buttars would have his way, eradicate the 12th grade from the system. Only corporate America can save us from this madness.

Darwin vs. Republicans, the Battle Continues

HuffPost reports in a new and wholly unsurprising study that only 6% of 'scientists' label themselves as republicans, in contrast to 55% identifying with Dem's. Bwaaa?? Yes, apparently republican mindsets either do not last long in the scientific community or is just not inclined to search out theory and facts backed up by verifiable, repeatable data. But this is just America, only a small percentage of the world's population and scientists, what do the rest of them think?
Well, a poll by the British Council shows a broad international acceptance (even factoring in God) of evolution. And while we're sixth down on the list, and tied with Russia, more Americans accept it than do not. But then, enter Texas.
I mentioned earlier the Director of the Board of Education of this notoriously conservative state is a rather obdurate evolution-denier, which has since cost him his job. But, another denier, although less boisterous, has been appointed in his place. I find it quite possible that the appointed Texas legislature hates science, and is determined to wipe if from its state.
Maybe they should have seceded, it would have given all these logic-hating Christians a comfortable, beef- and oil-filled refuge from reality.

Is Logic a Fallacy?

One of my readers and friends, Illpallozzo, sent me this last night. I read it, and felt a little ill, but not really surprised.

This anecdote from an unknown person familiar with physics tells a lot about our education system and the common sense/logic/reasoning abilities of our general population. Basically, more than half of people asked (this was at a University, mind you) believed that heavy boots were the only thing holding down our astronauts on the moon, and if they let a pen go, it would float away. Some of the people were disconcerted at being asked things that they had never learned in class, basically the Laws of Physics that govern everything in our known universe. The most important and most readily observed of which, gravity, completely escapes many people. Thinking that the earth had gravity and not the moon is something that never crossed my mind, once hearing that all mass has an attraction to other mass. Logic seems like some sort of arcane magic to some people, a thing that shouldn't be engaged in without years of study. No wonder religion is so prevalent.
It seems that the simpler something is for people to understand (nature, computers, television shows), the more likely they are to appreciate it (rain is wet, Macintosh, Friends). My only true regret is that Darwinism doesn't work as well as it used to, with modern medicine, cell phones, technological advances and all that getting in the way of stupid people offing themselves in various, accidental ways. Now I can't hold just 'people' responsible for their shortcomings, their parents and their schooling are also to blame. How do you reach college age and enter a university without knowing that the moon has gravity? About 1/6th of earth's gravity, if I remember correctly. This seems strange to me, this lack of an ability to logically reach a conclusion without all the information (forced down your mental gullet or not). Maybe someone else can explain this to me without referencing Idiocracy.

Touchy - Feely

A school in Connecticut (a state known for leaning a bit too far left) has banned any physical contact. That's right, no hugging, arms-over-shoulders, or even high-fiving. They are well on their way to the brick-in-the-wall idealism I would normally accuse conservatives of.
As ludicrous as this sounds, I have actually experienced the same ridiculous "no touching" experiment in the sixth grade. Here in Utah, the reddest state in the Union, you would think that the school would be more worried about keeping evolution out an abstinence in out schools rather than keeping then from touching one another. It was a similar system, no touching of any kind was allowed, even arms over shoulders were banned. Me, like most kids, inevitably ended up in the principals office for one offense or another. My mother was rather upset with the school's needless and difficult to enforce policy, along with many other parents. The rule quietly disappeared by the end of the school year. This school also tried to ban chewing gum and certain types of necklaces that could have potentially been used as 'weapons.'
So what use is it to tell kids that they cannot practice one of the most fundamental forms of non-verbal communication, especially when they are at such an important stage in their social development? Why inhibit the forming of bonds among children, just so you can proudly proclaim during a PTA meeting that you have stopped any and all possible forms of inappropriate touching from your school? Just so you can be as PC as possible due to the fear of not having your ass covered enough. But it just doesn't work. I didn't intentionally set out to break the rule when I was under the same iron no-touching fist, it just happened. Why? Because I was a kid. Whether it was either patting a shoulder or play-shoving in the lunch line, it was all in young, innocent fun.
I'm not one to casually spout tautologies, but dammit, kids will be kids, and you should let them be. Please, think of the children.