Finally, some positive news. In an environment where science has been increasingly under attack by religious fundamentalists, it’s quite refreshing to see even a few simple steps in the right direction.

In the wake of Judge Jones’ blistering ruling in Kitzmiller et al v. Dover Area School District (see my previous article in the archives), proponents of “intelligent design” seem unfazed in their commitment to supplant science with religious ideology. Despite a crushing defeat in Federal court - where Jones correctly identified ID as anything but scientific - we witnessed the introduction of yet additional anti-evolution legislation in Missouri, Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, and Michigan.

Just this week, it became known that a Public Affairs Officer at NASA (of all places) was attempting to suppress science for religious and political reasons; thankfully the firestorm which ensued effected his swift resignation, and as of yesterday he’d thoroughly embarrassed himself in a radio interview here in Texas.

On to the good news (also reported by the National Center for Science Education):

Creationism or intelligent design could not be taught as science in Wisconsin public schools under a first-of-its-kind proposal announced today by Madison state Rep. Terese Berceau.

Under the bill, only science capable of being tested according to scientific method could be taught as science. Faith-based theories, however, could be discussed in other contexts.

Alan Attie, a biochemistry professor at UW-Madison, said the bill puts Wisconsin on the map in the ongoing controversy over evolution and intelligent design.

“We can be the un-Kansas,” Attie said in an interview.

(The Kansas Board of Education, for those unaware, took it upon themselves in 2005 to redefine science in order to accomodate religious beliefs and cast aspersion upon biological evolution.)

At last, a faint ray of light shining from deep within the expanding darkness. This excerpt in particular is music to my ears:

Berceau’s bill would require that anything presented as science in the classroom be testable as a scientific hypothesis and pertain to natural, not supernatural, processes. The material would also have to be consistent with any description of science adopted by the National Academy of Sciences.

The teaching of creationism was deemed unconstitutional in 1987, but that certainly hasn’t prevented religio-political attacks on evolution. With the passage of time, it’s clear that the cornerstone of modern biology isn’t the only target. We must be mindful that astronomy, cosmology, any number of scientific disciplines will inevitably come under fire, as religious fundamentalists display a penchant for whitewashing concepts they feel incompatible with their belief systems.

As for how much support this legislation will receive, I’m not certain. We face a daunting challenge just to preserve the quality of science education in the United States; moreso to improve it.

Sincere kudos, regardless, to Rep. Terese Berceau for bringing this effort to fruition. I remain hopeful that her endeavor will be successful, and further, that the rest of the nation will take notice. After all, with these numerous instances of science being unduly targeted in ongoing ideological fire, the quality of education future generations will receive swings in the balance.