Hearing to Repeal Louisiana’s Creationism Law
Baton Rouge, LA — (May, 1, 2013) — Senate Bill 26, filed by Senator Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans) to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act, Louisiana’s misnamed and misguided creationism law, will be heard by the Louisiana Senate Education Committee, on Thursday, May 2nd.
Governor Jindal recently reiterated that the Louisiana Science Education Act was meant to sneak creationism into science class. In response to a question by NBC’s Hoda Qutb, about creationism in public schools, Jindal said,
“We have what’s called the Science Education Act that says that if a teacher wants to supplement those materials, if the school board is okay with that, if the state school board is okay with that, they can supplement those materials. … Let’s teach them — I’ve got no problem if a school board, a local school board, says we want to teach our kids about creationism, that people, some people, have these beliefs as well, let’s teach them about ‘intelligent design’… “What are we scared of?”
The repeal campaign is endorsed by 78 Nobel laureate scientists, nearly 40% of living Nobel laureate scientists, and numerous other prominent scientists. It has also been endorsed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and other major science and educator organizations in Louisiana and the United States. Nobel laureate chemist and supporter of the repeal effort, Sir Harry Kroto, said,
“One can only be amazed that [the repeal] has managed to assemble such massive support (78 Nobel laureates) for the effort to ensure that only educational material which is supported by reliable evidence is presented in the science lessons of Louisiana’s schools.”