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Indiana Senate passes bill on teaching creationism - Indianapolis Star
1 February 2012, 2:01 am


The Indiana Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would allow creationism to be taught in the classroom -- an idea that, if it becomes law, could likely end up in a courtroom.

Senate Bill 89, authored by Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, would allow schools to teach religion-based views on the origin of creation -- be they Muslim, Jewish, Scientology or Christian -- alongside the theory of evolution in public school science classes.

Schools, however, would not be required to do so, and an Indiana Department of Education spokesman said the state would not develop any such curriculum or guidelines for teaching creationism.

The Senate passed the bill 28-22. It would still need to be passed by the House and signed by Gov. Mitch Daniels before it became law.

"I believe in creation," Kruse said, "and I believe it deserves to be taught in our public schools."

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, had a decidedly different take: "I can't believe we are even considering this."

more at http://www.indystar.com/article/20120201/NEWS05/202010320/Indiana-Senate-passes-bill-teaching-creationism?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

[mefree]

Indiana Senate backs teaching creationism in public schools
http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-indiana-senate-backs-teaching-creationism-proposal-20120131,0,2239530.story

Tony Ortega weighs in from the Village Voice..

Indiana Senate Votes to Teach Scientology in Schools
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/02/indiana_senate.php

[mefree]

Creationist bill in Indiana shelved - National Center for Science Education
14 February 2012, 7:22 pm




"A bill passed last month by the Indiana Senate that would have allowed schools to teach religious stories of creation along with the theory of evolution when discussing the origins of life in science class is dead," according to the Indianapolis Star's education blog (February 14, 2012). The bill in question is Senate Bill 89. As originally submitted, SB 89 provided, "The governing body of a school corporation may require the teaching of various theories concerning the origin of life, including creation science, within the school corporation." On January 30, 2012, however, it was amended in the Senate to provide instead, "The governing body of a school corporation may offer instruction on various theories of the origin of life. The curriculum for the course must include theories from multiple religions, which may include, but is not limited to, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Scientology."

The bill subsequently proceeded to the House of Representatives. But the Speaker of the House, Brian Bosma (R-District 88), was disinclined to let it continue further, as the Times of Munster (February 2, 2012) reported, as was the chair of the House Education Committee, Robert Behning (R-District 91), as the Associated Press (February 7, 2012) reported. Now, according to the Star's education blog, Bosma "moved the bill to the rules committee, a procedural step that all but assures it will not make it to a vote this year." The bill would have to be approved by its committee and by the full House by March 5, 2012, in order to be passed by the legislature. "I didn't disagree with the concept of the bill," Bosma said. "But I hesitate to micromanage local curricula. Secondarily, I didn't think it was prudent to buy a lawsuit the state could ill afford at this point."

more at http://ncse.com/news/2012/02/creationist-bill-indiana-shelved-007207