Louisiana Coalition for Science

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [pdf] / LA Coalition for Science / http://lasciencecoalition.org Baton Rouge, LA, September 28, 2009 — On September 16, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) ignored the recommendations of science education professionals in the Louisiana Department of Education (DOE) and allowed the Louisiana Family Forum (LFF), a Religious Right lobbying group, to dictate the procedure concerning complaints about creationist supplementary materials used in public school science classes under the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA). At BESE’s September 16 Student/School Performance and Support (SSPS) Committee  meeting, DOE presented recommendations for reviewing such materials (see attached DOE proposal). However, DOE’s recommendations were amended to include changes proposed by SSPS Committee chair Dale Bayard, the LFF’s point man at BESE (see attached draft). BESE committee members approved the changes without opposition after hearing testimony by creationists who attended the meeting. As a result, the prerogatives of the DOE professional science education staff have been severely undermined, as explained below. The audiotape of the meeting shows that Bayard and the LFF pulled off a royal snow job. Continue Reading »

By Barbara Forrest

On August 13, 2009, Mrs. Supriya Jindal, wife of Gov. Bobby Jindal, visited the Regina Coeli Child Development Center near Hammond, LA. She stressed the importance of educating Louisiana children in math and science: “Louisiana is becoming a hub for industries and companies of innovation and, important to all of us, companies that will require a work force that’s knowledgeable in the areas of math and science.” Mrs. Jindal has been traveling around the state, delivering this message at numerous public schools. Her visit and remarks were featured in the August 14 Hammond Daily Star. The following August 19 letter appeared in the newspaper in response and is reprinted here as an open letter to Mrs. Jindal. Continue Reading »