Utah Senator Chris Buttars, originator of legislation last session that would require schools to incorporate “Intelligent Design” theory alongside evolution in classrooms, says that
US Department of Education ‘overlooks’ evolution
Evolutionary biology is mysteriously missing from the list of undergraduate subjects eligible for a US federal grant.
The department of education claims the omission is simply a mistake and insists that US students taking evolutionary biology majors are eligible for the grants. However, the incident has left pro-evolution campaigners wondering whether evolutionary biology was deliberately eliminated from the list by people who find Darwinian evolution impossible to reconcile with their own religious beliefs.
The DoE says there is “no explanation” as to why this mistake occured.
In today’s SL Tribune: Buttars’ crusade stirs the pot again Pending bills: Church and state, judges’ terms are the focus this time
The conservative West Jordan Republican has asked state attorneys to draft a bill defining the separation of church and state outlined by America’s and the state’s founding documents. At the same time, he is proposing legislation to require state judges to face legislators in a second confirmation hearing after their first term in office. Critics say such a law would undermine the sacrosanct division between the branches of government.
“It’s gotten ridiculous. We have Christmas wars and White Cross wars,” said the chairman of the Judicial Confirmation Committee, referring to battles between atheists and the state. “The state has become hostile to religion.”
Buttars won’t release the details of this bill.
The other bill on which Buttars is working is obviously a personal one to get rid of what he calls “activist judges”.
Buttars’ other bill to change judicial retention rules is much more public. Buttars believes the vast majority of Utah judges – “about 98 percent,” he says – are doing their jobs just fine. It’s the others, the ones who have overstepped their bounds, he wants to hold accountable. He has a growing list of a dozen cases where he says judges have ignored or redefined state law – including a divorce battle over insurance.
But has Buttars overstepped his boundaries?
Buttars acknowledges he has not reviewed whether such a law would be constitutional. Legal scholars and judges alike say Buttars is creating a problem where none exists. They say Buttars’ legislation would upset the time-honored, delicately-balanced separation between the branches of government. The U.S. and Utah Constitutions already provide frustrated lawmakers a simple remedy for errant judges – they can simply change a law if they do not like a judge’s interpretation. Disgruntled voters can dump a judge they don’t like.
Quite a few folks are interviewed in this article about Buttars’ proposed legislation, most of whom recognize the absurdity of it.
Former University of Utah Law School professor John Flynn, who specialized in the Utah Constitution, agrees. He says Buttars’ legislation would be constitutionally “suspect.” Beyond that, “it’s asinine and absurd.”
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged education, evolution, gay issues, marriage, politics, Utah
….comes from Part of the Plan, which has a piece on Chris Buttars and his legislative positions. The piece is cleverly titled “Is He As Dumb As He Sounds ? (I’ve Lost Count)”
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged evolution, gay issues, politics, Utah, women's rights
The “Origins of Life” Bill introduced by Rep. Chris Buttars failed to survive in the Utah House.
The bill would have required the State Board of Education to establish curriculum requirements stressing that the scientific theory about the origin of species and evolution is not empirically proven.
“Nobody can empirically prove or disprove the theory, and the bill makes a very clear statement as to how I believe we ought to instruct students,” said Rep. Jim Ferrin, R-Orem, the bill’s House sponsor.
But legislators in the House said they were concerned about singling out the theory of evolution and stepping on what could be the State Board of Education’s turf.
House Majority Whip Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, amended the bill deleting all language save two lines that reinforced the state board’s role in establishing scientific instruction.
The amended bill failed on a 28-46 vote, and there were no indications that it would be revived.
Chris Buttars’ comments:
“There are a number of influential legislators who believe you evolved from an ape,” Buttars said following the vote. “I didn’t.”
Republican Rep. LaVar Christensen, stated that SB96 was a “nod toward the almighty.”
This bill is a small gesture but one that leaves the door open for people to affirm what is in their own constitution, referring to the preamble of the Utah Constitution, which includes the phrase: “Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty.”
Opponents to the bill questioned why the state would single out one theory when the scientific community disagrees on dozens of others.
“Aren’t we in a reverse way endorsing all other theories, because this is the only one we are saying ‘be careful with this one?’ ” asked Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan.
Rep. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, led the charge to defeat the bill, saying he didn’t understand how science contradicted faith.
“I did not talk about faith, but it has been talked about several times and it’s obvious that’s why we singled out one theory,” he said.
Urquhart successfully gutted the bill, leaving only one bland sentence that read: “The State Board of Education shall establish curriculum requirements relating to scientific instruction.”
The news of the dead evolution bill nationwide reached:
Houston Chronicle
New York Times
The Mercury News (San Jose)
WTVM in Columbus, GA
There are a couple of radio programs I thought I’d post about from the past week.
First is the (“Rocky Day”)February 7th Midday Metro from a Salt Lake public radio station, KCPW. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson was this day’s host (my husband, Tom King, called in and talked to him). The program’s topic for this day was the Utah Legislature. Discussion topics on this program include the “Intelligent Design” and “Gay-Straight Alliance” Bills, with guests in the studio and caller comments.
Rocky also takes Rep. Hansen to task for accepting gifts from lobbyists.
Listen here. (mp3 file)
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Second is the February 9th Midday Utah from the same station, in which Jason Groenwald, from HEAL Utah talks about the nuclear waste transportation issue in Utah.
Listen here. (mp3 file)
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 