Florida gets an F in science

December 30, 2005

Gov. Jeb Bush staked out a curious position on a hot-button issue last week: Florida's K-12 science standards need beefing up, he said. But Darwin's theory of evolution should not be part of them.

Had they heard, many scientists probably would have cringed.

Darwin's theory is a pillar of modern biology. And a new state-by-state analysis by an influential education foundation concludes that Florida's standards are among the worst in the nation - with a big reason being its failure to adequately explain evolution.

The report by the Washington,D.C.-based Fordham Institute calls Florida's standards "thin," "naive," "disappointing" - and in some cases, flat wrong.

"The superficiality of the treatment of evolutionary biology alone justifies the grade "F,' " it says. "But there is in any case scant mitigation elsewhere in these documents."

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/30/State/Florida_gets_an_F_in_.shtml


BushCo's dumbing down of America is alive and well in Florida.

what those ID supporters are going to think when their kids can't pass a collage science class?
I 'm sure they will try to find a way to blame "Liberals" for it some how.

for not asking enough ID related questions, which in turn they will blame on the 'liberal' academic environment.

You are absolutely correct.

:shrug:

"Florida has other hurdles to clear to improve science literacy, including a critical shortage in its number of highly qualified science teachers. The state will need 4,500 next year alone, yet all of Florida's universities combined are expected to produce about 200. Many districts will be forced to turn to teachers trained in other fields"

Jeb revamped Florida's education system on the back of a paper napkin and implemented the FCAT. Every student has to take this test for reading and math. You can not graduate without passing it. Plus the amount of money your school gets depends on the school's FCAT score. The result is that the schools teach for the FCAT and not much else. What we are ending up with are kid's who can read and write but don't know how to think. Perfect little bots for Bushco's wars.

(so to speak)

Schools are drilling grounds spewing out voiceless robots incapable of original thought.

already worried about the first FCAT test which is taken in the 3rd grade. If a student fails the FCAT its mandatory retention. It puts a stranglehold on teaching because all they do is teach to that test beginning in kindergarten.

Like theology for instance.

They have probably the worst test in the country and the politics are pretty messed up. No wonder they have a shortage of highly qualified Science teachers.

was an integral part of putting men on the moon.

that the country that did that at one point, now has so little money invested in math and science education.

I know many on this board say that corporations use this as an excuse to export jobs, but the simple fact is that our education standards here are falling...I think many don't want to admit that.

and leave these Bible thumping morons to their own devices. Maybe Canada would enjoy a housing boom and population doubling?

Perhaps many of the good people of Florida want to ruin their kid's education with loopy religious kookery, but surely not all. And yet all have to suffer. What shocking mismanagement. What a scandal.

...with all sorts of irony in light of the article above. Pinellas County includes St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

It is a more romantic idea to embrace blind faith than to adopt principles based on coldhearted analysis.

Only 21% being against teaching Creationism is far worst than 58% thinking it should be taught alongside 'evolution'.

Why worst?

It means that the religious right has been very successful in appropriating social democratic concepts of 'inclusiveness' and 'diversity' and turning it against those noble goals.

This shit is getting out of hand...

They only asked those who said they've been following the ID vs science debate (the some or lot responses) whether they thought ID should be taught in the classroom. The 58% "response" represents only 32.5% of the actual total polled. I was disappointed in the St Pete Times for that method of polling. They should have asked the whole group polled that question instead of the ones that had been following the debate.

He just made a horrible situation worse. Can you get an F-? (and yes this scientist was paying attention and did cringe and I am sure my biology colleagues did as well).

They're already sending all the jobs overseas. Why do they need future generations to be ignorant?

They want people to be uneducated and unable to think for themselves. Corporate media also has a hand in this. The RW'ers and elite want you to accept Fox news and their media as the gospel as your only source of information

Another snip from the St. Pete Times:


snip

Critics say the report exposes a glaring oversight in Bush's education revamp, which has focused mostly on reading and math in early grades. It also adds urgency to a pending review of Florida's science standards, which some observers say could devolve into a culture war showdown over evolution and intelligent design.

Bush's off-the-cuff remarks came in response to reporters' questions after a hurricane-related meeting in South Florida.

Evolution "is a scientific theory and he's not opposed to it being taught in classrooms," Bush spokesman Russell Schweiss later clarified. "But he doesn't think it should be necessarily dictated in the standards."

"Oh, boy," University of South Florida chemistry professor Gerry Meisels said Thursday, when told of Bush's position. Meisels directs the state's Coalition for Science Literacy. "Frankly, the state of Florida will be embarrassed, nationally and internationally, if it takes that position."

snip


And this, on top of the news that Jeb is STILL TRYING to kill the small class-size amendment, discussed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5713032&mesg_id=5713032

I never let school get in the way of my education.

Parents, don't rely on your schools to teach your child everyrthing he or she needs to know... make sure they know the truth, and for Godsakes teachem' to think for themselves.

Everything is being destroyed by these assholes.

to other countries.