GOP Bill: Let Virginia Schools Teach Kids That Climate Change And Evolution Are Untrue

Virginia Del. Richard Bell (R) - ignorant ass

While more and more Virginians are embracing modernity and modern knowledge, keys to competing in a rapidly changing global economy, the Virginia GOP is racing in the opposite direction and seeking to dumb down and handicap Virginia students.  How eles can one describe a bill introduced in the Virginia General Assembly by Neanderthal Delegate Richard “Dickie” Bell that would allow schools to teach that evolution and climate change are untrue.  Why not just make lobotomies mandatory for public school students?  The ignorance and backwardness that is now being espoused by the Virginia GOP is frightening and it's all backed by religious extremists who are terrified of anything that challenges their religious belief fantasy world.  Think Progress looks at this latest GOP batshitery in Virginia:

A new bill, up for consideration this year in the Virginia General Assembly, would give Virginia’s public school teachers permission to teach about the “scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses” of “scientific theories” like evolution and global climate change. The bill is part of a national trend of legislative proposals, led by creationist organizations like the Discovery Institute and climate-change deniers such as the Heartland Institute.

Virginia State Delegate Richard “Dickie” Bell (R) pre-filed House Bill 207 over the holidays for consideration by the House of Delegates when it reconvenes this week. His proposal would require Virginia elementary and secondary schools to teach about “scientific controversies” in science classes. It would require:

The Board [of Education] and each local school board, division superintendent, and school board employee shall create an environment in public elementary and secondary schools that encourages students to explore scientific questions, learn about scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills, and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about scientific controversies in science classes.

More significantly, it creates a right for teachers to teach kids to be skeptical of “scientific theories” — even when overwhelming scientific consensus exists:

Neither the Board nor any local school board, division superintendent, or school board employee shall prohibit any public elementary or secondary school teacher from helping students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in science classes

In his 2011 re-election campaign, he boasted of the endorsement of noted climate-change-denier Ken Cuccinelli II (R).

Groups like the Discovery Institute and Heartland Institute have pushed schools nationally to adopt curricula that embraces skepticism of science. The former’s “Teach the Controversy” campaign has encouraged educators to include in their lectures the “non-scientific problems” creationists and intelligent-design proponents claim to have identified in the theory of evolution. A federal court held in 2005 that teaching intelligent-design in public schools is unconstitutional.

The populous [Hampton Roads] area, along the Atlantic coast, is already experiencing growing problems from rising sea levels. The National Journal reported last February that, “the economic impact of these forces will be profound; some estimates run as high as $25 billion.”

But the General Assembly has done little to address climate change in recent years. In 2012, Bell’s colleague, Del. Chris Stolle (R) called “sea level rise” a “left-wing term” and excised any mention of it from a state report on coastal flooding.

The Christofascists and GOP are an increasing clear and present danger to the future of America.  These people need to be stopped.