Kansas State BOE member Connie Morris: Evolution a 'fairy tale'

[coda]

Posted on Mon, Jun. 13, 2005

Board member Morris: Evolution a 'fairy tale'

JOHN HANNA
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan.

<snip>

A newsletter written by board member Connie Morris, of St. Francis, was circulating on Monday. In it, Morris criticized fellow board members, news organizations and scientists who defend evolution.

She called evolution "a theory in crisis" and headlined one section of her newsletter "The Evolutionists are in Panic Mode!"

<snip>

In her newsletter, Morris said she is a Christian who believes the account of creation in the Book of Genesis is literally true. She also acknowledged that many other Christians have no trouble reconciling faith and evolution.

"So be it," Morris wrote. "But the quandary exists when poor science - with anti-God contempt and arrogance - must insist that it has all the answers." "They desperately need to withhold the fact that evolution is a theory in crisis and has been crumbling apart for years," Morris said.


<snip>


But Krebs said Morris is repeating "standard creationist rhetoric."

"People have been saying evolution is a theory in crisis for 40 or 50 years," Krebs said. "Yet the scientific community has been strengthening evolution every year."


more....


http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/11885987.htm

[unhappycamper]

1. Next stop -> 1850

It appears the radical clerics have won in Kansas. Unfortunately, the kids being taught this crap will be at a severe competitive advantage when they meet kids with a sound scientific foundation. These kids can function in Voodoo U, but won't stand a chance in the real world.

I'll bet parents from Mexico to India to China are laughing these asses off. Neanderthals aren't going get high tech jobs.

[atommom]

2. This is such an outrage.

So far, the bill to Kansas taxpayers is near $30,000 for these ridiculous hearings. It was a foregone conclusion that Morris and her pals would do as they'd always planned to, and undercut the teaching of evolution as far as they could. She seems to be irony-impaired, though ...

She said her favorite “blooper” during board debate on evolution came from Rupe who said “with psuedo-innocence” that she was mystified by opposition to science.

During a hearing last month on the science standards, Morris said opponents of evolution presented extraordinary testimony.

“In short, Darwin’s theory of evolution is biologically, genetically, mathematically, chemically, metaphysically and etc. ‘wildly’ and ‘utterly impossible.’”

She asked her constituents to pray for the conservatives on the board as they fought liberals.

“As we forge every bit of our being for the battles ahead, I humbly ask for your prayers. It’s certain you have plenty for which to beseech the Lord — but if you think of us, please request strength, wisdom and courage on our behalf,” she wrote.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/jun/14/stateboardedmorri/?kansas_legislature

I think it's a little too late for the "wisdom"... :crazy:

[coda]

3. Thanks for the link , atommom

From the AP story, I was wondering what the nature of the newsletter was, if it was private or connected with the KS BOE. The fact that it's taxpayer funded makes a big difference.

I would agree on Rupes' "psuedo-innocence" though. Being a past member of the Wichita BOE she is well aware that this brand of fundamentalism is rabidly anti-science. :)

As far as "bloopers" though, I'd have to go with the RW board members admitting they hadn't even read the science standards they were criticising, as well as Kathy Martin's statement that "...our nation is based on Christianity, not science.".

While the current science standards in KS don't attack the Christian religion or Christians, and in fact, go out of their way to insure neutrality....


"Understanding does not mandate belief"

-- qualifying statement in the KS Science Standards evolution
section


...Connie Morris, on the other hand, with her blanket attacks on those who support teaching Evo being anti-God, has attacked the beliefs (re: Evo) of other Christians. Attacking the beliefs of other Christians is a tenet to rabid fundymentalism.

Her calling anyone arrogant, is hilarious hypocrisy.

The best counter to it is to make sure that this kind of offensiveness, arrogance and extremism gets plenty of exposure.

Here's to Connie Morris continuing to speak her "mind". :beer:

[ComerPerro]

4. That absolute arrogance bugs the shit out of me

After all, isn't it the fundies and creationists who insist that they have "all the answers"?

And, she calls the Evolutionary theory a fairy tale while insisting on the view that a magical man in the sky created the world in six days about 5,000 years ago?

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. But they found a dinosaur skeleton in the Sahara desert

that is 2 million years old.

I saw this on the news today and am still waiting for the creationist response. What do you wanna bet they are freaking out at the possibility that dinosaurs actually lived here before humans did?? :rofl:

[Biology]

5. and now she wants reimbursement...

...from the taxpayers for the mailing of her newsletter, at least according to the news this morning.

[importDavid]

6. My daughters...

...who are 2-3/4 and 11 months will be going to school in a few years here in Kansas.

I will home school them in the matters of science and Evolution so that they will NOT have their brains tainted by the ideological sickness this woman is pushing...

What the hell?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Hey david

Welcome to DU
:hi:

[hfojvt]

8. Some of this reminds me of the Isaac Asimov story "Reason"

I believe it is in the collection "I, Robot".
It is about an advanced robot at a solar substation. The robot comes up with a religion that says humans and robots were both created by the substation's main computer. One of the guys keeps trying to convince the robot of the existence of the Earth and the human race, but the robot's logic is impervious to their arguments, Finally, he gets mad and spits on the robot's god, at which point the robot has them escorted into the brig.
All of this happens just before a solar storm which requires delicate care. The substation transmits solar power to the earth and if their beam is off by a little, instead of being collected, the energy will work as a "laser" weapon which could easily obliterate a large city.
However, they find that in spite of its bizarre religion, the robot is technically very competent, maintaining the accuracy of the beam as something its god demands.
In a similar way, I have my doubts whether the theory of evolution really impacts anything outside of biology. People can certainly still be excellent mathematicians, physicists, engineers, computer techs, mechanics, etc. regardless of their beliefs about evolution.
I simply do not believe the educational world will collapse if evolution is not taught. Would the world end if students were taught in astronomy Fred Hoyle's theory of continuous creation as an alternative to the Big Bang theory? Does chlorophyll suddenly become hemoglobin if evolution is not taught, or is not taught as being beyond question (except by heretics)? Does the pelvis become indistinguishable from the ulna or the kidney without an evolutionary perspective?
I just do not see how the whole world falls apart unless the Kansas BOE has somehow incurred the wrath of "the god of rational thought". Then we are probably all doomed.

[KansDem]

9. Yeah, and Christianity is a myth...

Sorry, Connie, but the two are very similar in definition:

Myth: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society.

Religion: Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.

[greymattermom]

11. evolution

We stopped by the St.Louis zoo on our way back from Cincinnati this time. They have an excellent exhibit on evolution. I guess Kansans aren't allowed. Check out the penguin/puffin exhibit if you're in those parts. The temperature in there feels great this time of year.