忘却からの帰還〜Intelligent Design

Senate Bill 2396 (PDF), filed on February 27, 2009, would, if enacted, amend a section of Florida law to require "[a] thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution." The bill is sponsored by Stephen R. Wise (R-District 5), who was in the news earlier in February when he announced his intention to introduce a bill requiring "intelligent design" to be taught in Florida's public schools. "If you're going to teach evolution, then you have to teach the other side so you can have critical thinking," he told the Jacksonville Times-Union (February 8, 2009). Wise acknowledged that his bill was likely to invite a legal challenge, but contended, "Someplace along the line you've got to be able to make a value judgment of what it is you think is the appropriate thing." Evidently he changed his mind about how to accomplish his goal, since "intelligent design" is not mentioned in the bill.

2009年2月27日にフロリダ州上院に提案されたSB2396は成立すれば、フロリダ州法を修正し「進化の科学理論の徹底した提示と批判的分析」を義務付ける。この州法案を提案したDistrict-5選出の共和党Stephen R. Wise州上院議員は、フロリダ州の公立学校でインテリジェントデザインの教育を義務付ける意図があることを表明したことが2月初めに報道された。彼はJacksonville Times-Union(2009/02/08)に「進化論を教えるなら、批判的思考ができるように、反対の意見も教えるなければならない。」と述べている。Wise州上院議員は、この州法案が裁判になるだろうとわかっているが、「適切だと考えていることに役立つ判決を得られるところがあるだろう」と結論した。それを示すように、彼は目的達成のために方針を変えて、州法案では「インテリジェントデザイン」への言及していない。 [ Antievolution legislation in Florida (2009/02/27)

Florida Senate Bill 2396

A bill to be entitled
An act relating to educational instruction; amending
s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring that the instructional staff of a public school teach a thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution and certain governmental, legal, and civic- related principles; providing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 1003.42, Florida
Statutes, is amended to read:
1003.42 Required instruction.—
(2) Members of the instructional staff of the public schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and faithfully, using the books and materials required to that meet the highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy, following the prescribed courses of study, and employing approved methods of instruction, the following:
(a) A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution.
(b) The history and content of the Declaration of Independence, including national sovereignty, natural law, self- evident truth, equality of all persons, limited government, popular sovereignty, and inalienable rights of life, liberty, and property, and how they form the philosophical foundation of our government.
(c) The history, meaning, significance, and effect of the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and amendments thereto, with emphasis on each of the 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights and how the constitution provides the structure of our government.
(d) The arguments in support of adopting our republican form of government, as they are embodied in the most important of the Federalist Papers.
(e) Flag education, including proper flag display and flag salute.
(f) The elements of civil government, including the primary functions of and interrelationships between the Federal Government, the state, and its counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts.
(g) The historical context in which the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed; the purposes, functions, and limitations of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal, state, and local governments; the significance of common law, state and federal constitutional law, statutory law, procedural law, and local ordinances or codes; an understanding of important legal principles, including the rule of law, stare decisis, and the federal supremacy clause; and the duties that all citizens share in order to know and protect the rule of law.
(h) The history of the United States, including the period of discovery, early colonies, the War for Independence, the Civil War, the expansion of the United States to its present boundaries, the world wars, and the civil rights movement to the present. American history shall be viewed as factual, not as constructed, shall be viewed as knowable, teachable, and testable, and shall be defined as the creation of a new nation based largely on the universal principles stated in the Declaration of Independence.
(i) The history of the Holocaust (1933-1945), the systematic, planned annihilation of European Jews and other groups by Nazi Germany, a watershed event in the history of humanity, to be taught in a manner that leads to an investigation of human behavior, an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, and an examination of what it means to be a responsible and respectful person, for the purposes of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting
democratic values and institutions.
(j) The history of African Americans, including the history of African peoples before the political conflicts that led to the development of slavery, the passage to America, the enslavement experience, abolition, and the contributions of African Americans to society.
(k) The elementary principles of agriculture.
(l) The true effects of all alcoholic and intoxicating liquors and beverages and narcotics upon the human body and mind.
(m) Kindness to animals.
(n) The history of the state.
(o) The conservation of natural resources.
(p) Comprehensive health education that addresses concepts of community health; consumer health; environmental health; family life, including an awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequence of teenage pregnancy; mental and emotional health; injury prevention and safety; nutrition; personal health; prevention and control of disease; and substance use and abuse.
(q) Such additional materials, subjects, courses, or fields in such grades as are prescribed by law or by rules of the State Board of Education and the district school board in fulfilling the requirements of law.
(r) The study of Hispanic contributions to the United States.
(s) The study of women's contributions to the United States.
(t) The nature and importaof free enterprise to the United States economy.
(u) A character-development program in the elementary schools, similar to Character First or Character Counts, which is secular in nature. Beginning in school year 2004-2005, the character-development program shall be required in kindergarten through grade 12. Each district school board shall develop or adopt a curriculum for the character-development program that shall be submitted to the department for approval. The character-development curriculum shall emphasize stress the qualities of patriotism; responsibility; citizenship; kindness; respect for authority, life, liberty, and personal property; honesty; charity; self-control; racial, ethnic, and religious tolerance; and cooperation; and conflict-resolution management, including peer mediation.
(v) In order to encourage patriotism, the sacrifices that veterans have made in serving our country and protecting democratic values worldwide. Such instruction must occur on or before Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Members of the instructional staff are encouraged to use the assistance of local veterans when practicable.

The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.