Scientists Misrepresented in Global Warming Document

At least 45 of the 500 scientists named in The Heartland Institute's list of "500 Scientists with Documented Doubts of Man-Made Global Warming Scares" have expressed anger over being included in the list. The Heartland Institute did not seek the scientists' consent before creating the list nor did they inform the scientists that they would be cited in the document.

Here are some of the scientists' responses (taken from desmogblog):

"I am horrified to find my name on such a list. I have spent the last 20 years arguing the opposite."

—Dr. David Sugden. Professor of Geography, University of Edinburgh

"I have NO doubts ..the recent changes in global climate ARE man-induced. I insist that you immediately remove my name from this list since I did not give you permission to put it there."

—Dr. Gregory Cutter, Professor, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Old Dominion University

"I don't believe any of my work can be used to support any of the statements listed in the article."

—Dr. Robert Whittaker, Professor of Biogeography, University of Oxford

"I'm outraged that they've included me as an "author" of this report. I do not share the views expressed in the summary."

—Dr. John Clague, Shrum Research Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University

Someone needs to tell Louisiana's Senate.

Senate Fails Louisiana's Children

The Advocate reports that, after a ten minute debate, the Louisiana senate approved a bill that challenges science teachers to "stray from traditional science theories, including evolution." The bill passed by a vote of 35 to 0—yes 35 to 0—which is an astounding measure of just how pathetically spineless (or how uninformed) our politicians really are.

The bill, which is has been pushed by The Louisiana Family Forum, now moves on to the house.

Earlier I posted that language directly challenging accepted scientific concepts such as evolution and global warming had been removed from the bill. The bill's proponents were initially accepting of this change, suggesting that the bill was never intended to be a direct challenge to those theories but rather a call for objectivity and spirited debate in science classes. Of course, that's never what it was about and predictably that language has been amended back into the bill:

In a key change, the Senate approved an amendment by Nevers that spells out examples of those theories, including evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning.

That language was removed from the bill earlier this month at the request of critics before it was approved by the Senate Education Committee, which Nevers chairs.

The executive director of the Louisiana Family Forum, Gene Mills, later criticized that action, which he said took out “explicit expressions” in the bill needed to promote wide-open scientific discussions.

Nevers downplayed the significance of putting the words back in Monday.

Surprise, surprise.

While we're at it, why don't we supplement our children's education with the geocentrist argument? Better yet, let's just hold science classes at the nearest church. This, after all, solves two problems. First, we'd no longer have to bother with silly legislation that encroaches on science education and undermines our nation's constitution. And as an added bonus, this would free up a number of classrooms to be used by other departments in our overcrowded and underfunded public schools.

"A Debate About Debate"

Some state legislators are continuing to push a bill that could potentially undermine science education. Although references to evolution, human cloning, and global warming have been removed from the bill, the suggestion that science teachers might need help with "objectivity" is an affront to educators and to science itself. It's also misleading. Science is, by definition, objective. By allowing religion and religious debate to slip silently into science classrooms, this bill in fact threatens to shatter that objectivity.

This is not "a debate about debate," nor is this an issue of free speech. It is an assault on science education.

Why is it that science is the only subject in need of legislation to promote objectivity? When I think back to my own early education, I can remember one other subject in which objectivity was severely lacking: history. On topics ranging from Marx to Columbus, many of my history classes offered only half-truths and even pure fiction. History, as I remember it being taught, was first and foremost a history of wealthy, powerful, white men. It was a history of the west told from the perspective of the western elite—in service of the western elite. In short, it was propaganda and it was hardly objective.

And still, though I feel as if I was deceived by many of my history teachers, I would be opposed to any sort of legislation that regulates or micromanages history classes. Why? Because we shouldn't be playing political games with our children's education.

Science Miseducation

In a carefully worded (and largely uncritical) article, The Advocate reports that Louisiana Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, chairman of the Senate education committee, is sponsoring a bill that will undermine science education. The bill, which is an excuse to slip religion into science classes, is wrapped in talk of "scientific controversies" and the suggestion that students should "tackle different views." It's title is, of course, the "Louisiana Academic Freedom Act."

Nevers denies that this bill is about religion, but as the story points out, he was asked to sponsor the bill by the Louisiana Family Forum. The article vaguely describes the group as one "that promotes traditional family values," but fails to mention exactly what those "family values" are.

Here's what LFF's website says about the group:

• In 1998, having recognized the need for a family advocate in Louisiana, a group of pastors, policymakers, and concerned citizens came together to launch Louisiana Family Forum. Now in its ninth year, Louisiana Family Forum is proud of its growth, accomplishments, and the role it plays in public policy, family-strengthening initiatives across our state.

• Our Mission: To persuasively present biblical principles in the centers of influence on issues affecting the family through research, communication and networking.

• Our Core Values: God’s equal interest in all areas of human experience ... We believe there is no part of human experience that does not hold God’s intense interest. As Creator of humanity, He is fully and equally interested in the totality of that experience.

• 2000 Accomplishments ... Education: LFF’s Attorneys Resource Council recently hosted a Constitutional Issues in Public Education Seminar. Teachers, principals, and school board members learned about constitutional options for teaching the Bible in public school, balanced science and American history education, and the current status on prayer and other religious activities at our public schools. From LFF’s leadership it is expected that a number of school districts will soon begin offering a Bible as History and Literature high school elective course and will take advantage of the informative and free Origins Science Addendum that is now posted on LFF’s website to aid public school biology students and teachers.

• 2001 Accomplishments ... Secured state B.E.S.E. acknowledgement that the Bible as History and Literature course is subject to local School board approval. This Bible-based elective course was approved in 6 parishes, with activities in 30 other parishes.

The article also fails to question the assumption that evolution is a controversial issue among scientists. While evolutionary theory may itself evolve, evolution is supported by scientific consensus. Intelligent design, however, was ruled "a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory" in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District.Similarly, the notion that global warming is highly controversial within the scientific community is also misleading. Most climate scientists agree that global warming is primarily caused by human activities.

Wouldn't it be nice if science teachers were actually allowed to teach science?