For my friends in Kansas - this, too, shall pass

[DancingBear]

It is tough for you right now, there can be no denying. Your state has regressed, at least temporarily, into the 16th century, where all things mysterious can be attributed to spirits and demons, and where magic rules in lieu of fact. Your citizens were not vigilant, and the shiny objects cast before them worked well enough so as to put Dopey, Dopey, Dopey, Dopey, Dopey and Dopey in charge of educating your young. When the unthinkable finally happened, and when your state decided that science has no place in a scientific curriculum, the pendulum not only swing the other way, it hit bottom and stayed there.

It will move again, however, we all know that. Because of you, and thousands more like you, the lights will come on all over Kansas, and those in the dark for so long will finally realize the beauty that is daylight. In thinking they have reached Religious Nirvana, Dopey Times Six has mistaken intellectual vapidity for spiritual reward, and the folks running the SAT exams aren't going to cotton to "Jesus loves me, yes I know" as being the answer to an algebraic equation.

It is only a short step now towards their next goal, that of course being the elimination of all things science, and now everyone who wasn't paying attention before is going to be watching. It is now up to you to show them what really lurks in the shadows they so desperately want to keep in place.

It has been my pleasure to get to know a few Kansans, under the blistering Texas heat in a hell-hole called Crawford, and I believe you can right your ship. The zealots have dug in pretty deeply, but as you can see by election results in other parts of the country that once you shine a light on the vermin everyone else is more than happy to buy the bug spray.

So get a really big flashlight, and get to work. And don't be afraid to reach out to your friends. We have flashlights, too.

[jedr]

1. sometimes I wonder if this wedge issue,

isn't being used to help destroy public education.

[atommom]

4. I think that's part of the goal. They're attacking on many fronts now.

[Realityhack]

7. sort of.

It is not explisitly about that, the support comes from the religious masses (Sheeple) and the politions are just pandering for votes like most other social wedge issues. The people will ignore being screwed on the stuff that matters to the powerful (fiscal policy, welfare, media conglomerisation, etc, etc.) if they look like they are 'fixing' a social issue that is important to that group. But it does cause an erosion of public education that they probobly see on some level as a benifit... not so much destrying it as bringing it even more 'under control'. You don't want to destroy it outright as that prevents you from using it to spread your propoganda and controll the masses.

[jedr]

9. true;

But the overall goal is to promote privatized education and this issue will cause many people to send their children to private religious schools.

[MoonRiver]

16. Many, many people in KS can't afford to do that,

much as they would like to. Seriously, the Repukes have and are continuing to systematically destroy this state's economy. Now, any high tech company (of which KS has had several) that has been considering locating in KS, won't. No one with a brain would agree to locate in this backwoods, and have their children exposed to such a snake oil mentality in school.

Anyway, once the sheeple wake up to the fact that while their kids are indeed, FINALLY, being taught science from the 1600's, they may not be able to eat, go to the doctor, or have shelter other than shanties to protect them from numerous raging, global warming induced tornadoes, I think we'll see some political changes here. KS has already gotten fed up enough with the economy and situation in the schools to elect a Democratic governor. Course they still want their beloved creationism taught in the rapidly imploding schools! Talk about hamstringing the very person you elected to fix the problem! But KS is not known for its collective logical thinking processes, obviously.
:crazy:

[HockeyMom]

2. If you are a Catholic parent,

tell them you want your child to opt out of this based on YOUR RELIGION. The Vatican supports Evolution and has for at least 40 years since I was in Catholic School.

[MuseRider]

3. DancingBear,

:hug:

You are an O8)

I just smiled finally and it was worth a million bucks to me. So the check is in the mail, well maybe not.............:yourock: anyway.

Thanks, it was fun living through your election yesterday. Congratulations.

[atommom]

5. Thanks for the kind words. We really appreciate that.

Oh, and about the really big flashlight ... are we supposed to use that to find our way, or as a weapon? :D

[DancingBear]

6. Hell, how I do I know?

I collect batteries. :)

[tigereye]

8. well, at least here in Pa

the crazed fundie school board who were about to mandate ID were turfed out on their asses!

But the Kansas thing is tres disturbing. Wonder how long before this goes up the courts?

[MuseRider]

10. We will vote them out

next year. This happened before and that was the result. Judging by the reaction here this is what will happen. I just read an update that the board is now working on making other types of education easier to get and undermining public schools. We knew this was next. I hope we can get it all under control before they dismantle the entire thing.

[DancingBear]

11. If I'm not mistaken, I think The Stupid Six are up for re-election in '06

Kansas folks, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I remembered seeing on another post that this (ID) thing may not even go into effect, and that chances were good that these folks would get bounced in their re-election bids.

[MuseRider]

13. You are correct.

Every single science teacher I have read about or seen interviewed said they would not change the way they teach science, hopefully they will not be forced to.

I can't see this group not getting the boot next year.

Thanks for bringing me out of my pitty party.

[AndyTiedye]

12. Pendulum Has Gone WAY Too Far to the Right

the pendulum not only swing the other way, it hit bottom and stayed there.

Actually it crashed through the right side of the clock and did quite a bit of damage:

[DancingBear]

14. LOL - that looks about right

Is there a watchmaker in the house?? :)

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. As one of the Kansans you got to know in Crawford,

I thank you for your wonderful and inspiring words. You have affirmed for me that this too shall pass.

:yourock:

We can't all be that bad. Your new governor is from my hometown. He went to the high school where my dad taught for many years. I was thinking of you today as I read that in my local paper. We are proud of him here. You are lucky to have his talents there in Virginia.

[OneTwentyoNine]

17. Kansas School board has been playing this game since 99....

And gotten NO WHERE with it,its all flaming RW religious nut case pandering. Their next election is in 2006,watch how many get booted out. I know several teachers here in Wichita,they will just flat refuse to teach any of that BS ID hocus pocus.