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Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Senator Stephen Wise (Florida) Bigoted Bill

Senator Stephen Wise (Florida State Senator) has introduced a bigoted and prejudicial bill into consideration. Specifically SB1854 makes a mockery of this country's rich and diverse history. Consider that the bill requires the following:

(1)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.

(2)The study of women’s contributions to the United States.

(3)The study of Hispanic contributions to the United States.

All of these are admirable goals and extremely worthy of inclusion, but one wonders exactly what sort of prejudice Senator Wise holds against the Native American population and their contributions to the United States. This, in a state that contains a rich history of Native American culture and life. One wonders why Wise does not care to mandate a discussion of the contributions of Irish-Americans, Italian-Americans and Asian-Americans? This bill fails to acknowledge the contributions of different religious groups to the US from the Quakers, the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims! Senator Wise needs to stand up and admit that he is bigoted and narrow-minded in mandating that ONLY the contributions of African-Americans, women and hispanics should be taught in our schools. The very fact that he disregards the contributions of so many others that make this country great makes this proposal laughable in its extreme. Consider that SB1854 also mandates:

Kindness to animals

Wise apparently thinks that being kind to animals is far more important than acknowledging the contributions of those stated above. Senator Wise, why do you ignore the contributions of so many Americans? You claim to follow Christ, but I ask you WWJD? Yes, he would be kind to animals, but not at the expense of disregarding the contribution of ALL Americans to our great society. He would not ignore the Native Americans in such a callous manner. But Wise's bigotry and hatred doesn't end there. Wise also singles out evolutionary biology for criticism under point #1 of this rambling legislation:

(1) A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution.

Why can't teachers present critical analyses of other sciences? Why has Wise chosen evolutionary biology for thorough analysis? Why not the scientific theory of gravity? Under this legislation, will I have the duty to present a critical analysis of quantum gravity? String theory? Or am I stuck teaching Newtonian gravity? Why does the bill not mandate that our students learn a thorough understanding of plate tectonic theory? In an era where petroleum is once again over $100 a barrel, it seems imperative that our students understand basic geology. Why doesn't Wise mandate that students learn to critically analyze "Plates versus Plumes"? This bill is bigoted towards science as well mandating that only one scientific theory be analyzed critically. Should we teach the controversy about 'historical Jesus' as well? If we are going to mandate the criticisms of one theory, shouldn't we mandate the criticism of all ideas (historical, scientific and philosophical)?

C'mon Senator Wise, step up to the plate and teach all the controversies or teach none of them. Stop the bigotry towards scientific education.

Senator Wise I notice that the bill mandates:

The true effects of all alcoholic and intoxicating liquors and beverages and narcotics upon the human body and mind.

That would include the health benefits of red wine, the uses of medical marijuana for pain as well as the many other benefits of alcohol on the human body. Surely that was your intent?

Senator Wise also mandates a thorough teaching of the holocaust which again is an admirable goal, but shouldn't we also teach of the great human carnage brought about by Pol-pot? The massacres during the Crusades? Genocide in Africa (Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Somalia) and all the other horrible genocide in human history? Should we not also teach the role of religious bigotry in those events? C'mon Senator Wise don't ignore all the other horrific tragedies.

Senator Wise, show you are not a bigoted anti-Christian man. Step up to the plate and either withdraw this bigoted piece of legislation or make it so that all contributions by all people that make up our great country are acknowledged. Don't single out one scientific theory and ignore the controversial aspects of all the others. Don't ignore all the other genocidal events in Human history. Make this a fair piece of legislation or remove it from consideration.

Cheers

Joe Meert

2 Comments:

At 11:15 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Joe, thank you for your comments. I am stunned that "leaders" would introduce a bill with so many oversights. It reveals a small glimps of what lurks behind their eyes.

S. Hendrix

 
At 10:34 PM, Blogger Sarafan said...

This appears to be amending statute 1003.42, Florida's Holocaust Education Mandate.

While I don't see any reason to attach science standards, it appears to be a supplement of standards, more than a replacement. If that's the case, a lot of these "X, Why not Y"s exist as other standards

Eg:
"Why does the bill not mandate that our students learn a thorough understanding of plate tectonic theory?"

Well, that's already in the next gen sunshine state standards... kinda...

SC.7.E.6.5
Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth's crustal plates causes both slow and rapid changes in Earth's surface, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building.



I wonder though, whether this bill with have any effect on SC.7.L.15 .1,.2, &.3

 

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