Senate, House adopt different evolution academic freedom bills

UPDATE: 5:00 p.m., April 28, 2008

TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – Although both chambers of the Florida Legislature have adopted legislation that sponsors believe will protect the academic freedom of public school teachers and students addressing evolution, the adoption of significantly different bills leaves passage in doubt in the final days of the legislative session.

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The Florida House of Representatives approved April 28 by a vote of 71-43 a bill requiring teachers to engage in a “scientific critical analysis” when teaching evolution. Meanwhile, the Senate adopted on April 23 by a vote of 21-17 a bill creating a new statute to permit academic freedom for teachers and students addressing evolution in Florida’s public schools. The House action substituted its legislation for the Senate bill, which will now be sent back to the Senate for further consideration.

The Senate could revisit the issue as early as April 29 and will likely substitute its language for the House bill, which would then require further action by the House.

The legislative back-and-forth with only five days left in the 60-day session may doom passage of any bill.

Gov. Charlie Crist, meanwhile, has not expressed an opinion on the bills, telling reporters in an impromptu visit to the House press gallery during the evolution debate on April 28, “It’s evolving, isn’t it? Let’s see what the final form looks like,” according to the Orlando Sentinel politics Weblog. In response to a question about his evolution beliefs, The Palm Beach Post politics Weblog reported that Crist said, “I believe in a lot of things. We should have the freedom to have a good exchange of ideas,” while admitting he wasn’t sure if such was accomplished by the House bill.

Before the Senate’s adoption on April 23 of SB 2692, the “Evolution Academic Freedom Act,” Sen. Ronda Storms (R-Brandon), the bill sponsor, offered an amendment to replace her two-page bill with the 12-word, one sentence House bill, HB 1483, sponsored by Rep. Alan Hays (R-Umatilla). The Senate voted down Hays’ bill.

Storms is a member of First Baptist Church in Brandon while Hays is a member of First Baptist Church in Umatilla.

In a statement to Florida Baptist Witness responding to the House’s action, Sen. Storms indicated that she intends to “press on” with her bill.

“At the beginning of session, both the House and Senate agreed to travel by caravan to an important destination by way of a difficult and rocky terrain,” Storms said. “Suddenly, as we drew near our destination after a tumultuous trip, the House vehicle veered off of the sure path to our destination and merrily called out, ‘We know a better way! Follow us!’ However, the Senate vehicle is filled with senators who want to stick to the known path since the destination is clearly in sight. So, the Senate vehicle presses on, arriving at the agreed upon destination and hoping that the House makes it there in time.”

While Storms’ bill provides an express statutory right protection for teachers to present scientific information that is relevant to the full range of views on biological and chemical evolution, Hays’ bill amends a current statute listing “approved methods of instruction” for public school teachers by adding, “A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution.”

During debate of the respective bills in each chamber, critics repeatedly questioned the motives of the sponsors, suggesting the intent of the legislation was to permit creationism or Intelligent Design be taught in public school science classes.

Intelligent Design has been held by one federal court to violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, ruling it is a version of creationism, rather than a valid scientific theory.

Intelligent Design postulates that the intricate design evident in human beings and the natural world undermines Darwinism’s argument of a common ancestry for all living things evolving over billions of years by means of random mutation and natural selection.

Storms and Hays frequently said their respective bills will not permit creationism or Intelligent Design to be taught.

During initial House consideration on April 25, Hays agreed to accept an amendment offered by Rep. Martin Kiar (D-Parkland) adding “scientific” before “critical analysis” to clarify that only scientific critiques of evolution are permitted.

In an interview with Florida Baptist Witness reflecting on the competing versions in the House and Senate, Florida Baptist Convention legislative consultant Bill Bunkley said, “I’d be happy to take any language that gets out of here to get something done.”

But Bunkley expressed skepticism that the House language can prevail in the Senate.

“Given the fact that the House language was already offered in the Senate in a full floor debate and rejected, it’s highly doubtful that the Senate will take up the House language and adopt it, in my estimation,” he noted.

Since Storms offered the House language during final consideration of the bill on the Senate floor, a two-thirds majority was needed for passage. The measure convincingly failed on a voice vote.

The Legislature has engaged in the evolution debate in response to new statewide science standards adopted by the Florida Board of Education in February asserting that evolution is the “the fundamental concept underlying all biology ... supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence.” The new science standards go in effect this fall and will remain in place for ten years replace current standards that did not mention evolution, earning scorn from science education experts.

House approval of Hays’ language was largely a party-line vote, with only Rep. Carl Domino (R-Jupiter) and Ed Homan (R-Tampa) joining Democrats in opposition.

The Senate bill was affirmed by most Republicans, with Mike Bennett, Sarasota; Paula Dockery, Lakeland; Dennis Jones, Seminole; Jim King, Jacksonville; and Evelyn Lynn, Ormond Beach, voting against the bill. Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) broke with his party in support of Storms’ bill.

In both chambers, members from each side of the evolution debate invoked cultural depictions of America’s evolution debate – from the play “Inherit the Wind,” about the so-called Tennessee Scopes Monkey Trial, to the currently playing documentary film, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” The Ben Stein documentary was especially prominent in the House debate April 25 and April 28.

In addition to praising Storms for her leadership in the Senate, Bunkley told the Witness he is thankful that Senate President Ken Pruitt (R-Port St. Lucie) scheduled a vote on the controversial issue late in the legislative session, even though it takes more time.

“I cannot emphasize how important his support and leadership was to this legislation moving forward,” Bunkley said of Pruitt.

Bunkley also singled-out Siplin for breaking with his party to support Storms’ bill, calling his vote “exceptional statesmanship.”

Kim Kendall, a St. Augustine stay-at-home mom and activist who has lobbied against the new science standards since October, told the Witness she was pleased by approval of academic freedom bills in both houses, but declined to express an opinion about the differing bills.

Kendall disputed comments during the April 25 House debate by Rep. Shelley Vana (D-West Palm Beach) asserting, “The folks who came to speak in favor of it all were very clear that they supported it because it allowed them to teach religion in the school system.”

Having met with Vana twice, Kendall said she was “stunned” and “extremely taken aback” by the comments.

A member of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Kendall said, “It’s one thing to change your position or differ in your own personal remarks, but to purposely misrepresent so many of us who took the time to drive to Tallahassee is shocking.”

For further coverage, including later developments, go to the Witness Web site: http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/.