SCIENCE
Florida's Education Evolution

Yesterday, the Florida Board of Education voted 4-3 to adopt new science standards that, for the first time, would require public schools to teach evolution. Previously, Florida's science standards referred to evolution as "biological changes over time," but those rules "were slammed by scientists as vague and shallow." The new standards are intended to "make science learning more in depth" and "improve the understanding of science by Florida students, who do poorly in the subject area when tested." In fact, a 2005 national review gave Florida's science standards a failing grade because of their "superficiality of the treatment of evolutionary biology" and for "fudging or obfuscating the entire basis on which biology rests." The new science proposal -- which won the approval of the National Academy of Sciences -- defined evolution as "the fundamental concept underlying all of biology" and one "supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence." But instead of accepting this scientific standard, the Florida Board approved "a last-minute alternative" following numerous public complaints and objections made by religious conservatives. The new Florida school science standard on evolution will come with a caveat: "The subject will be taught as 'the scientific theory of evolution.'"

RELIGIOUS RIGHT STEPS IN: The controversy over the new standards proposal began last November when the conservative Florida Baptist Witness published comments from one board member, Donna Callaway, who said she agrees that "evolution should be taught with all of the research and study that has occurred," but that "it should not be taught to the exclusion of other theories of origin of life." Thereafter, Florida citizens spoke out and "more than a dozen North Florida school boards filed resolutions in opposition" to the proposed science standards "with some saying they wanted evolution taught as a 'theory' and others saying they wanted inclusion of faith-based theories such as creationism or intelligent design." Indeed, during public hearings on the proposed standard changes, Callaway said it is "a point of debate" that there may be theories other than evolution to explain the origins of life. Additionally, religious groups such as the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) "vigorously opposed" the original evolution language because it "clashes with their religious convictions or their personal beliefs that evolution has not been proved."

CONFUSING THE FACTS: Responding to Callaway's claim during a public hearing that the theory of evolution is "a point of debate," fellow board member Roberto Martinez noted that it is "not a point of debate or controversy in the mainstream scientific community." Martinez, who voted against the caveat-laden proposal, said that "he was concerned that calling evolution a theory -- even a 'Scientific Theory' -- would still confuse the two common definitions of the word: a simple guess, or a scientific and testable concept based on facts." Lawrence Lerner, a retired physics professor at California State University and an expert on public-school science standards, said the last-minute changes demonstrated "a certain lack of understanding with what science is about." He added, however, that the new standards are at least an improvement over the old ones, which were "about as bad as they come." University of South Florida chemistry professor Robert Meisels agreed that the new standard is "okay," but added that the opposition to the original proposal "basically superimposed themselves on the experts."

THE RIGHT WANTED MORE: Callaway tried to get a so-called "academic freedom" amendment inserted into the alternative standard proposal in order to counter "the 'dogmatic' tone of the standards that call evolution 'the fundamental concept underlying all of biology.' The amendment would have given teachers explicit permission 'to engage students in a critical analysis of that evidence.'" But the majority of the board said the amendment was "anything from unnecessary to redundant to suspect." Morever, the argument is expected to be taken up in the state legislature by advocates of both sides. At least three Republican lawmakers in Florida "had said they might seek a legislative remedy" to the new rules but "after Tuesday's vote, two of the three said they were satisfied."

Under the Radar

ECONOMY -- NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS GROWING EDUCATIONAL GAP: A new report by the Brookings Institution on economic mobility in the United States shows that "the chance that children of the poor or middle class will climb up the income ladder...has not changed significantly over the last three decades." The report, Economic Mobility in America, warns that "widening gaps in higher education between rich and poor, whites and minorities, could soon lead to a downturn in opportunities for the poorest families." Furthermore, it concludes that "education can boost the mobility of children from poor and low-income families." The educational attainment gap between rich and poor is stagnant, however, while the earnings gap between people at different levels of educational attainment is increasing. Moreover, the economic mobility of African-Americans and Hispanics is constrained by the widening gap of college graduation rates between those groups and whites and Asian-Americans. African-Americans and Hispanics continue to be overrepresented among high school dropouts, a group which has seen its real annual income drop from 1964 to 2005, according to the report.

MILITARY -- MAKER OF SUBSTANDARD HELMETS GRANTED ADDITIONAL CONTRACT FOR ARMOR: Earlier this month, the military contractor Sioux Manufacturing agreed to pay a $2 million fine for producing over two million substandard Kevlar helmets. According to Brandon Friedman of VoteVets, even while the manufacturer was the target of a federal investigation, the Department of Defense awarded the company one of three U.S. government contracts to provide armor for the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs). According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the Department of Defense granted the contract to Sioux Manufacturing just 12 days before the suit over Kevlar helmets was settled. CREW is requesting that the House and Senate Armed Services Committees investigate the $74 million contract granted to the company.

ADMINISTRATION -- BUSH'S BORDER FENCE TO BYPASS PROPERTY OF WEALTHY DONOR: In October 2006, President Bush authorized the construction of a 700-mile border fence between the United States and Mexico. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing strong opposition from Texans who don't want the fence cutting through their land. Unfortunately for these homeowners, DHS gave them only "30 days to change their mind or face legal action," and now U.S. attorneys "have begun filing lawsuits against the holdouts." While DHS has no problem pursuing elderly and struggling homeowners, it will conveniently leave untouched the border property of Dallas billionaire Ray L. Hunt. In 2000, Hunt was a Bush-Cheney "Pioneer," and more recently, he "donated $35 million to Southern Methodist University to help build Bush's presidential library." Daniel Garza, a 76-year old man who might lose his home to the border fence's intrusion, noted, "I don’t see why they have to destroy my home, my land, and let the wall end there." Pointing across the street to Hunt's land, he added, "How will that stop illegal immigration?"

Think Fast

Despite the defeat of President Pervez Musharraf's party in the Pakistani parliamentary elections, the Bush administration is still trying to "construct a coalition that will keep Mr. Musharraf in power as president." Officials admit that Musharraf "remains the administration's preferred Pakistani leader."

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency misspent millions of dollars it received from selling used travel trailers," according to a draft report by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security. "Instead of buying more trailers," FEMA paid for "sport utility vehicles, travel expenses and purchase card accounts."

Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has threatened to lift a six-month cease-fire widely credited with helping reduce violence in Iraq. The cease fire was declared in August and is due to expire at this month's end.

Oil closed "above $100 a barrel Tuesday for the first time in history -- a surprise price surge that leaves experts and motorists wondering if there's no limit." U.S. gas prices could average "$3.75 a gallon by Memorial Day -- more than 50 cents higher than the record $3.227 set on May 24."

In "a radical change to its financial aid program," Stanford University will announce today that it will no longer charge tuition to students whose families earn less than $100,000 a year.

Yesterday, about 1,000 students from Prairie View A&M University in Texas marched more than seven miles from campus to the Waller County courthouse on the first day of early voting to bring attention to county voting problems. "The students organized the Tuesday rally to convince lawmakers to allow early voting on campus, since other county voting centers are long distances away from the Prairie View."

Brent Wilkes, "a California defense contractor and prominent GOP campaign contributor," was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison yesterday for lavishing former Rep. Duke Cunningham (D-CA) with money and other bribes "in exchange for nearly $90 million in work from the Pentagon."

And finally: Stephen Colbert's "portrait" has been hanging over the restrooms in the National Portrait Gallery for more than a month now. Some of the feedback: "He's an amazing person." "Colbert is essential to our existence." The Gallery has decided to extend the display life of Colbert's portrait until April Fool's Day.

Good News

Connecticut State Rep. Jason Bartlett publicly came out yesterday, making him "the nation's first and only openly LGBT African American state legislator."

State Watch

TEXAS: Slowing economy hits Texas's sparsely populated areas.

NEW JERSEY: "A new state civil unions law has failed to ensure that same-sex couples in New Jersey have the same rights as married heterosexuals."

ECONOMY: See how the Bush budget affects your state.

Blog Watch

THINK PROGRESS: CNN's Glenn Beck: "Nancy Pelosi will end up killing Americans."

THINK PROGRESS: Karl Rove: "Thank God" President Bush invaded Iraq.

DESMOG BLOG: The Heartland Institute lures legislators with free hotels for a climate skeptics conference.

Daily Grill

"[T]his congressional game-playing by Nancy Pelosi will end up killing Americans."
-- CNN's Glenn Beck, 2/17/08, on the expiration of the Protect America Act

VERSUS

"Some of the [surveillance] authorities would carry over to the period they were established for one year. That would put us into the August, September time-frame. ... [T]hat's not the real issue."
-- Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, 2/16/08