EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY SENATE

FSR 99002

RESOLUTION ON THE REMOVAL OF EVOLUTION AND FURTHER ALTERATIONS TO THE KANSAS STATE SCIENCE STANDARDS


Date of First Reading:_____19 October 1999_______________

Tabled:_____19 October 1999_______________

Passed:_____2 November 1999_______________

Senate Sponsor:Executive Committee
Dwight Moore


  1. Purpose: To encourage KSBE to reverse its recent decision on teaching standards in science.

  2. Previous Senate Action: None

  3. Definition of Terms: None

  4. Links: Kansas Board of Education Web Page for Science Standards -- KBOE has pulled the version that was approved on 11 August, pending problems with copyright issues. This web site compares draft 5 from the committee to the 11 August version. You can also get more information from the web site for Kansas Association of Biology Teachers.

FSR 99002
Resolution on the Removal of Evolution and Further
Alterations to the Kansas State Science Standards
(as amended by the Senate on 19 October 1999)


WHEREAS the recent Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) 6-4 decision to adopt substitute Kansas State Science Standards exempts critical areas of science while inserting confusing, erroneous or age-inappropriate content; specifically
Elimination of evolution which is the central unifying concept in biology, critical in explaining the development of fossil and living forms, and indispensable in the biomedical and agricultural sciences critical to Kansas citizens; and

Elimination of concepts in astronomy, geology, chemistry, and physics that enlarge our understanding of the history and structure of the universe, the origins of our solar system, and the geological and paleontological history of our planet; and

Insertion of falsifiability as an essential core definition of science, which is an advanced science philosophy introduced prematurely at middle school; and

Many other deletions, insertions, and amendments that do not represent science; and
WHEREAS these errors will compromise the science literacy of many Kansas high school graduates, and

WHEREAS the KSBE decision may place many Kansas high school graduates at an intellectual disadvantage in their college coursework and increase the need for remediation at Kansas institutions of higher learning, and

WHEREAS the KSBE decision may diminish the academic reputation of Kansas secondary educational institutions, handicapping Kansas graduates competing for post-graduate study in the sciences and for jobs in biomedical and agricultural industries, and

WHEREAS the KSBE decision will weaken the state's science, engineering, and technology infrastructure, and thereby handicap the state's ability to attract commerce and industry which rely on a strong science infrastructure.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

1. That the Faculty Senate at Emporia State University supports and encourages efforts to reverse the KSBE decision at the earliest appropriate opportunity, and

2. That the President of the Emporia State University Faculty communicate our views to the KSBE, the Board of Regents, the faculty at other Regents institutions, our elected representatives, and the Governor.
Provide comments about this resolution to your Division's Senator or to President Marvin Kuehn at kuehnmar@emporia.edu.
Last updated on 4 November 1999.
Provide comments about format to Dwight Moore at mooredwi@emporia.edu.
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