Protecting Science Education for Michigan’s Children
MCFS co-founder and past president Robert T. Pennock published a guest op-ed about the new creationist-sponsored “academic freedom” bills and their connection to the deceptive ID creationist movie Expelled. The op-ed is titled Creationist Culture Wars, Hollywood Style and appeared on June 26 in the Michigan Messenger.
On Tuesday, November 13th at 8 pm, PBS stations will air a special 2-hour NOVA episode “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial” about the Kitzmiller et al v. Dover Area School Board trial, which ruled that teaching Intelligent Design in public school violates the constitutional separation of church and state. MCFS President Robert T. Pennock was an expert witness in the trial and was interviewed for the NOVA documentary. Audio excerpts of his interview appear on the NOVA web site in the section on Defining Science.
Dr. Pennock was also interviewed for a show that will air locally on WKAR-TV following NOVA at 10 pm. “After the Trial: A Second Look” focuses on how the trial has affected creationism activism in Michigan. The show also features Rep. Brian Palmer (R-Romeo) who has sponsored several of the Intelligent Design bills in the state that MCFS has had to deal with.
MCFS President Robert Pennock has been named a recipient of a prestigious award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest scientific society. He has been named one of the 2007 AAAS Fellows for his tireless work explaining and defending the teaching of evolution in public schools in the United States.
Pennock is recognized for distinguished service in voicing the philosophical deficits in the pro-intelligent design argument and defending against its inclusion in science teaching.
“I feel very humbled to be honored for just doing what I love to do – studying philosophically and experimentally how science and evolution work, and helping teach about that process of discovery,” Pennock said. “Science is such an important way of understanding ourselves and our world; it deserves to be protected from those who would try to extinguish its light.”
Pennock has published two books and many articles that critique the intelligent design creationist movement. His 1999 book, Tower of Babel: the Evidence Against the New Creationism, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was an expert witness in the historic Kitzmiller v. Dover case that ruled it unconstitutional to teach ID creationism in public schools. His work has been discussed in newspapers and magazines such as Harpers and Discover. Pennock earned his doctorate in history and philosophy of science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Congratulations, Rob, on a well deserved honor.
Last night’s primary elections in Kansas was an enormous victory for science. For the last two years, the Kansas State Board of Education has been controlled by anti-evolution, pro-ID members by a 6-4 majority. Last night, the people of Kansas reversed that and put pro-science candidates back in charge of the state’s public school system. The new board will likely reverse the “critical analysis” language voted in to the standards by the pro-ID board.
The ID movement spent an enormous amount of money in Kansas on behalf of pro-ID candidates, while our side spent very little, but science still came out the winner. The MCFS board sends our congratulations to Jack Krebs, Liz Craig and all the other good folks at Kansas Citizens for Science for their hard work and dedication that led to this victory. We’ve been following their lead from the start here at MCFS and we couldn’t be more thrilled with how things turned out.