Tuesday, August 01, 2006

All Eyes On Kansas

Important electoral moment in Kansas today, where the teaching of science in public school classrooms has been held hostage to the whim of a changing state school board since 1998, seesawing between officials who don't fear education and those who think scientific evidence will corrupt young people. Since 2004, Kansas has led the nation in know-nothing science, deciding to repudiate evolution for the sake of Christian fundamentalism. That could change today as 16 people vie on the primary ballot for five slots on the state's school board, four of them currently held by conservatives who believe that God created the world by the method described in Genesis ... and that Charles Darwin and all the scientists who followed him were only trying to subvert Christianity.

Everyone seems to agree that the REAL contests will be between conservative Republicans and moderate Republicans, with both the NYTimes and the WashPost suggesting that this is make-or-break time for moderates. Well, for conservatives too, for that matter, but the moderates have mounted a spirited "counter-attack," according to the Times.

Turnout predicted to be very low, especially since it's supposed to reach 175 degrees in Kansas today. Something like that.

No comments: