Texas continues its educational backslide

PZ Myers has looked at the unfortunate state of education in Texas. The educational authority contiue to erode any credibility they have.

Many people have been sending me this story about Texas considering accrediting the Institute of Creation Research for training teachers, and I've just been reluctant to mention it because poor Texas has been getting walloped over creationism lately, and I was feeling a terrible sympathy for the place. It's as if the whole state has fallen into a pit of suck.

That is more reserve than I have with this story. The ICR? Maybe the brits can send someone over and open an accredited Jedi Academy.

The ICR wants to offer Masters degrees in science education, of all things; they claim they'd be offering instruction in evolution alongside their science curriculum, but we know that is a lie, since the people at ICR aren't competent to offer kindergarten level courses in pretty, pretty baby animals, let alone real biology. A state advisory board, in a fit of ignorance and insanity, has approved this plan, but it next has to go before the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for final approval.

Its basis is to deny and discredit real science. And a masters? Oh, brother. I think that Myers may have accidentally ommitted a word in that name, it must be science denial education. Right?

I hope Texas scientists can slap that Board into wakeful reality before that meeting, because if this goes through, the trust I can give Texas-trained teachers is getting flushed right down the sewer. And if Texans can't fix this, the rest of the country has to step up and deny certification to anyone trained in Texas — their diplomas and degrees will be worth about as much as Monopoly money.

It is sad, but true. What faith can anyone have in Texas accreditation? Where is the rigor? I know it seems harsh, but this type of betrayal of duty to education needs to strongly opposed. This would make attempts to miseducate students a valid thing. In no uncertain terms the people in power supporting this are betraying their duty to students, their state, and the country.