In Israel, the Education Ministry has fired chief scientist Dr. Gavriel Avital, a global warming denier and young earth creationist.

Kudos! Letting someone like this be in charge of children’s education is a recipe for ignorance and failure. If only Texas could figure that out.

Sources familiar with the affair said Avital was fired over past statements he had made, in which he questioned evolution and the global warming theory. Avital, who was named chief scientist in December 2009, said Darwinism should be analyzed critically along with biblical creationism.

“If textbooks state explicitly that human beings’ origins are to be found with monkeys, I would want students to pursue and grapple with other opinions. There are many people who don’t believe the evolutionary account is correct,” he said.

“There are those for whom evolution is a religion and are unwilling to hear about anything else. Part of my responsibility, in light of my position with the Education Ministry, is to examine textbooks and curricula,”

Avital added, “If they keep writing in textbooks that the Earth is growing warmer because of carbon dioxide emissions, I’ll insist that isn’t the case.”

(Hat tip: greatwizard.)