It’s astounding that this is happening in 2009, but the Texas State Board of Education is actually considering passing a curriculum that will teach creationism in public school science classes. And Republican Governor Rick Perry has stacked the board with young earth creationists and pure idiots, including at least two people associated with the infamous Discovery Institute, so the outcome is far from certain. There are three days of hearings scheduled, with the final vote probably coming this Friday.

The Discovery Institute is pushing hard for this one because if Texas—the largest purchaser of textbooks in America—takes that big step back into the Dark Ages, the resulting changes in textbooks may well affect the way science is taught nationwide.

At the Houston Chronicle, Steve Schafersman live-blogged the proceedings today: Live Blogging of the State Board of Education Meeting, March 25-27.

On the pro-science side, we had distinguished scientists, researchers, and textbook authors. On the anti-evolution, pro-Dark Ages side, we had ministers, beauty queens, and Discovery Institute shill Casey Luskin.

It’s sad and infuriating that in so many states, the Republican Party is now dominated by fanatics who want to force their fundamentalist religious views on everyone’s children, and ruin science education in America.