I feel like I am taking crazy pills. It seems every day there is something that makes me shake my head in disbelief. Each day out doing what befuddled me the day before. But, this one has got me thinking I just transported to a 1920s classroom in Tennessee. A time when multiple state school boards outlawed the teaching of Charles Darwin's "Theory of Evolution."

According to openmindbbva.com

In 1925, farmer and member of the Tennessee House of Representatives John Butler, a parishioner of the Primitive Baptist Church, drafted a bill “prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools in Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof.” The text stated that it would be illegal “to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals,” setting fines of between $100 and $500 for offenders.

Thankfully this "Butler Act" has been repealed, and teachers are allowed to teach such theories without being fined hundreds of dollars or even fired. At least for now.

In the 2023 Legislative session in Montana, there is a Senate Bill that will outlaw teaching any sort of "THEORY" in Montana classrooms.

You read that right. One of the core elements of SCIENCE is at risk of being outlawed in Montana. If it wasn't for theory, science would be nothing like it is today. "Theory" is what makes science a constant evolution of ideas. And, now Montana is at risk of holding students back from getting a proper science education.

According to SB 235

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR SCIENCE INSTRUCTION 5 IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS; DEFINING "SCIENTIFIC FACT"; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE 6 DATE.”

The purpose of K-12 education is to educate children in the facts of our world to better prepare them for their future and further education in their chosen field of study.  A scientific fact is observable and repeatable, and if it does not meet these criteria, it is a theory that is defined as speculation and is for higher education to explore, debate, and test to ultimately reach a scientific conclusion of fact or fiction.

Basically, the bill is much like the "Bulter Act." Just without all the religious rhetoric. Making teaching K-12 students in Montana anything, other than scientific fact, illegal. Leaving it up for students to either get their science education outside of school or wait until college to dive into scientific theory.

  • Einstein's "Theory of Relativity?" [NOPE]
  • Darwin's "Theory of Evolution?" [NOT HAPPENING]
  • BIG BANG THEORY? [NEGATIVE]

Youtuber, Beau of the Fifth Colum, has a great argument on this topic.

If this bill blows your mind as much as it did mine, make your voice heard. Read more about SB 235, and let's save SCIENCE in Montana schools.

 

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