Title Author Date

The latest creationist twist Luhn, Robert Mar 18, 2009

Dear Talk Reason:

Should creationist colleges in Texas that grant degrees follow the same rules other schools must follow?

Apparently not.

Representative Leo Berman (Republican, District 6, Smith County) has just introduced HB 2800, which would exempt "certain private nonprofit
educational institutions" from the rules other degree-granting schools must follow in Texas.

The aim, apparently, is to help the Institute for Creation Research's graduate school, which was denied state certification (a precursor to
accreditation) when it moved to Texas. The ICR is a "Young Earth Creationist" organization that believes the Earth is 10,000 years old,
Noah's flood really happened, Adam and Eve were real people, etc. The ICR has been pushing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB) to certify the ICR's school, which wants to offer masters degrees in science education. HB 2800 would make that easier, since an institution could request exemption in writing, which the board education could grant by simply issuing a letter.

As the Texas Citizens for Science has noted, certifying ICR to award masters degrees in science education "would be a mockery of science and an injustice to students who work hard in legitimate academic institutions to earn real Masters degrees in science education."

From intelligent design to "academic freedom" laws to...this. A new approach to smuggling creationism into the classroom. If this seems like a story worth pursuing, let me know and I can connect you with the relevant sources, background information, and more!

Yours,

Robert Luhn
Director of Communications
National Center for Science Education, Inc.
420 40th Street, Suite 2
Oakland, CA 94609-2509
510-601-7203 x314
fax: 510-601-7204
800-290-6006
luhn@ncseweb.org
www.ncseweb.org

Text of the bill, actions, etc:
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB2800

Background on Texas legislation and related issues:

"Legislative salvation for the ICR?"
http://ncseweb.org/news/2009/03/legislative-salvation-icr-004644

"ICR seeks to grant degrees in Texas"
http://ncseweb.org/news/2007/12/icr-seeks-to-grant-degrees-texas-001147

"Scientists oppose ICR certification in Texas"
http://ncseweb.org/news/2008/01/scientists-oppose-icr-certification-texas-00
1689

"Decision on ICR's graduate school deferred"
http://ncseweb.org/news/2008/01/decision-icrs-graduate-school-deferred-00169
0

"A Setback for the ICR in Texas"
http://ncseweb.org/rncse/28/2/setback-icr-texas

Texas coverage
ncseweb.org/news/texas

Title Author Date

The latest creationist twist TalkReason , Mar 18, 2009

Dear Robert:

Thanks for your letter. We are aware of the nefarious attempts by the ICR to impose upon an
unsuspecting and uninformed public their ridiculous and utterly fallacious
pseudo-scientific nonsense. One of the latest efforts is their persistent pursuit of the accreditation in Texas for their "master in science" program.

We'd be happy to post a more detailed essay illuminating this matter, if you would kindly submitted such a piece.

Talk Reason