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Bunkley: Gambling expansion failure highlights session
Passage of competing bills results in failure of evolution academic freedom
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published May 8, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—With narrow defeats for pro-life and
evolution academic freedom legislation during the 60-day Florida legislative
session, Florida Baptist Convention legislative consultant Bill Bunkley
highlighted the positive by pointing to the failure of gambling expansion bills
as a “huge win for families.”
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Senate rejects House evolution bill
Fate of academic freedom measure now lies with House
Published May 1, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Senate today approved without objection a motion offered by Sen. Ronda Storms (R-Brandon) to reject the evolution bill adopted by the Florida House of Representatives.
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Senate, House adopt different evolution academic freedom bills
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published May 1, 2008
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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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House poised to adopt evolution bill different from Senate’s version
House approval expected Monday, requiring further Senate action
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 26, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida House of Representatives approved by voice vote April 25 an amendment substituting its bill requiring schools to have “scientific critical analysis” of evolution in place of the Senate-passed evolution academic freedom bill.
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Senate passes evolution academic freedom bill, 21-17
House sponsor committed to his version
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 24, 2008
Updated 11:30 a.m. April 24
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Senate adopted on April 23 by a vote of 21-17 a bill to permit academic freedom for teachers and students addressing evolution in Florida’s public schools. The prospects of the measure remain in doubt after the House sponsor of its academic freedom bill said he will push his significantly different version in the House next week.
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Senate passes evolution academic freedom bill, 21-17
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 23, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Senate adopted today 21-17 a bill to permit academic freedom for teachers and students addressing evolution in Florida’s public schools.
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NEWS BULLETIN: Senate adopts evolution academic freedom bill
Published April 23, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Senate adopted today by a vote of 21-17 a bill to permit academic freedom for teachers and students addressing evolution in Florida’s public schools.
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Senate debates evolution academic freedom bill
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 24, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—The Florida Senate debated a bill to
protect academic freedom of teachers and students who wish to consider
criticisms of evolution April 17, focusing repeatedly on concerns the measure
will allow Intelligent Design to be taught in public school classrooms.
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Senate debates evolution academic freedom bill
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 17, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) — The Florida Senate debated a bill to protect academic freedom of teachers and students who wish to consider criticisms of evolution April 17, focusing repeatedly on concerns the measure will allow Intelligent Design to be taught in public school classrooms.
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Storms faces attacks over evolution bill
House, Senate panels adopt different academic freedom bills
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 14, 2008
TALLHASSEE (FBW) – Sen. Ronda Storms (R-Brandon) has been surprised by the personal attacks of those who oppose her bill to protect academic freedom for public school teachers and students addressing evolution.
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Academic freedom evolution bill ready for Senate floor
Senate committee approves bill; House panel set for action April 11
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 10, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – A bill to protect academic freedom of teachers and students in public schools when addressing evolution passed a second Senate committee April 8 and is poised for its first House committee hearing April 11.
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Storms decries personal attacks in evolution debate
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published April 10, 2008
TALLHASSEE (FBW) – Sen. Ronda Storms (R-Brandon) has been surprised by the extremely personal attacks she has been subjected to by those who support evolution and oppose her bill to protect academic freedom for public school teaches and students addressing evolution.
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Actor Ben Stein brings ‘star power’ to evolution debate
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published March 20, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Florida legislators got a taste of
Hollywood March 12 as actor-comedian Ben Stein brought his controversial film
“Expelled” to Tallahassee to help lobby in favor of legislation to allow
academic freedom when evolution is taught in Florida public schools.
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Actor Ben Stein brings ‘star power’ to evolution debate
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published March 12, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – Florida legislators got a taste of Hollywood March 12 as actor-comedian Ben Stein brought his controversial film “Expelled” to Tallahassee to help lobby in favor of legislation to allow academic freedom when evolution is taught in Florida public schools.
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Board approves science standards with ‘theory’ compromise
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 28, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—Rejecting advice from both sides in the
evolution debate, the Florida Board of Education voted 4-3 on Feb. 19 to add
“scientific theory of” before each reference to “evolution” in new science
standards for public schools in the Sunshine State.
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Editorial
Evolution, academic freedom and ‘Expelled’
JAMES A. SMITH Executive Editor
Published February 28, 2008
It’s
too bad members of the Florida Board of Education had not seen Ben Stein’s
forthcoming movie “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” before its Feb. 19 vote
to reject an academic freedom amendment to the state’s science standards. If
the members ever do see the movie, I have to believe at least one of the four
who voted against academic freedom will wish he or she had another opportunity
to fix the standards’ silence concerning permitting scientific critiques of Darwinian
evolution in the state’s K-12 public schools.
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Point of View
Florida public school students ‘biggest losers’ in evolution debate
DONNA CALLAWAY Special to Florida Baptist Witness
Published February 28, 2008
On Nov. 19, a battle took place in Tallahassee. Those of us
involved in that skirmish walked away with different versions of what had taken
place. Even members of the news media had conflicting views of what had
actually been decided. As to who won and who lost this battle—everyone lost
something, but the biggest losers were the students in Florida’s public
schools. They lost some privileges and they lost some rights. To better
understand what was at stake, it is essential that one understand the power of
the Sunshine State Standards.
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Rubio: Florida House open to legislative fix on evolution
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 28, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—An evolution compromise approved Feb.
19 by the State Board of Education was the best that could be achieved in that
body but legislative action to protect academic freedom of teachers offering
criticisms of Darwinian evolution is possible, House Speaker Marco Rubio told Florida
Baptist Witness in a Feb. 20 interview.
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Students ‘biggest losers’ in evolution debate
Point of View
DONNA CALLAWAY Special to Florida Baptist Witness
Published February 22, 2008
On Nov. 19, a battle took place in Tallahassee. Those of us involved in that skirmish walked away with different versions of what had taken place. Even members of the news media had conflicting views of what had actually been decided. As to who won and who lost this battle – everyone lost something, but the biggest losers were the students in Florida’s public schools. They lost some privileges and they lost some rights. To better understand what was at stake, it is essential that one understand the power of the Sunshine State Standards.
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Rubio: Florida House open to legislative fix on evolution
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 21, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – An evolution compromise approved on Feb. 19 by the State Board of Education was the best that could be achieved in that body but legislative action to protect academic freedom of teachers offering criticisms of Darwinian evolution is possible, House Speaker Marco Rubio told Florida Baptist Witness in a Feb. 20 interview.
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Board approves science standards with ‘theory’ compromise
Opponents, not satisfied, will seek legislative fix
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 19, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – Rejecting advice from both sides in the evolution debate, the Florida Board of Education voted 4-3 on Feb. 19 to add “scientific theory of” before each reference to “evolution” in new science standards for public schools in the Sunshine State.
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Sullivan sends letter opposing science standards
Florida Baptists’ top executive rejects ‘theory’ compromise
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 17, 2008
JACKSONVILLE (FBW) – The top executive of the Florida Baptist Convention has entered the growing debate regarding proposed science standards, urging the Florida Board of Education to oppose the proposal unless the teaching of evolution includes scientific criticisms of the controversial theory.
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Author critiques Darwin’s ‘terrible ideas’
Published February 14, 2008
WASHINGTON (BP)–In recent years, Feb. 12 has been celebrated not just for Abraham Lincoln’s birthday but for Charles Darwin’s as well.
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Comments on science standards to be allowed at SBOE meeting
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 14, 2008
TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – The Florida Department of Education announced Feb. 14 limited public comment will be received at the Feb. 19 State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting in Tallahassee in which proposed science standards will be considered, reversing its prior position that comment would not be permitted at the meeting.
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Coalition releases letter opposing science standards
Evolution debated at final public hearing
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 14, 2008
ORLANDO (FBW) – Kim Kendall is “just” a mom with a busy life taking care of her two kids who are students in the St. Johns County public school system and her husband. But the former air traffic controller has orchestrated a growing chorus of opponents to proposed science standards for Florida’s public schools that will make Darwinian evolution a central feature without any acknowledgement of contrary views.
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Editorial
Fixing the sub-standard science standards
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 14, 2008
With only days left before the Florida Board of Education meets Feb. 19 to consider new science standards that would require public schools to adopt an evolution-as-dogma approach, members of the Board have received good advice to correct this 10-year-document both from a drafter of the standards as well as persons on the outside. For the sake of our state, and especially for the sake of our children, let’s hope and pray the Board implements this advice.
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Point of View
A teacher’s perspective on the science standards
ROBIN BROWN Special to Florida Baptist Witness
Published February 14, 2008
Editor’s note: This statement was given at a public hearing
on the proposed science standards for Florida held in Jacksonville last month.
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Editorial
Sub-standard science standards, still
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published February 7, 2008
In spite of growing concern and opposition, Florida
education leaders are on the brink of requiring an evolution-as-dogma approach
to teaching origins in public schools in the Sunshine State. Fortunately,
there’s still time to change the outcome on this critical matter.
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Debate on proposed science standards continues
EVA WOLEVER Assistant Editor
Published January 17, 2008
JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—The debate was split at a public
hearing in Jacksonville Jan. 3, a meeting scheduled for the public to air
questions, comments and concerns regarding the new science standards to be
implemented in Florida’s public schools for the next ten years.
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Baptists take lead in opposing evolution-only standards
Public input to be heard in January at Jacksonville, Miramar meetings
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published December 20, 2007
TAMPA (FBW)—From activist moms in St. Augustine, to a member of the State Board of Education in Tallahassee, to a church leader in Brandon, Florida Baptists have taken the lead in opposing proposed science standards that require evolution-only teaching in the Sunshine State’s public schools.
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Editorial
Sub-standard science standards
JAMES A. SMITH SR. Executive Editor
Published December 6, 2007
It’s an understatement to say much has been written about evolution since Charles Darwin articulated the theory in his groundbreaking 1859 book, The Origin of Species. Considerable controversy has ensued and in recent decades a compelling body of literature has arisen critiquing the theory, undermining central tenets to natural selection and enraging the overwhelming majority of scientists who continue to cling to Darwinian evolution with a religious-like devotion.
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