stand up for REAL science

The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports today that

Although little noticed by the public, the race for a local seat on the State Board of Education could lead to a dramatic ideological shift on the panel and -- by extension -- in Texas school policy.

Fort Worth-area District 11 incumbent Pat Hardy is being challenged in the March 4 primary by Barney Maddox.

According to the article, Mr. Maddox wouldn't return numerous phone calls and refused to provide information for that newspaper's voters guide.

A busy man? Undoubtedly.

A straightforward man? If Maddox was attempting to be stealthy about his creationism, it is now obvious that he failed. Why he refuses to share his platform with the media at this late date is questionable, as the Star-Telegram article mentions that

In 2003, for instance, the Cleburne urologist [Maddox] testified against evolution at the State Board of Education with his characterization of Charles Darwin's theories as "pre-Civil War fairy tales." He urged board members at the meeting to reject new [pro-evolution] biology textbooks.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's more:

Maddox also questioned evolution in a 2006 letter to the Cleburne Times-Review and has had anti-evolution writings posted on the Web site of the Institute for Creation Research, a Dallas organization that attempts to find scientific evidence for the writings in the Bible.

The Texas Freedom Network has been keeping a close eye on the situation.

So has the Free Market Foundation whose president, attorney Kelly Shackleford, was quoted as saying

"Conservative means careful -- it means that you don't put things in textbooks unless they're accurate," he said.

Scientists and science teachers could go along with that statement, no problem. We expect textbooks to be factual and present only well-tested theories, ones which are strongly supported by the experts in the relevant fields.

Since the Free Market Foundation president supports including only accurate statements in textbooks, the group should oppose Maddox's candidacy on the grounds that Maddox would rather have scientific inaccuracies - even outright lies - promoted in science textbooks. That is, if they hold honesty and integrity as traditional Judeo-Christian values; after all, their stated mission is

To protect freedoms and strengthen families throughout Texas by impacting our legislature, media, grassroots, and courts with the truth. To do this we are guided by the principles, which limit government and promote Judeo-Christian values.

One would also expect the Free Market Foundation to oppose Maddox's candidacy if they truly believe in limiting government, by letting scientists & science teachers set the science curriculum instead of politicians.

But if you look at the Free Market Foundation's voters' guide [pdf] for the 2008 primary, you find that their first requirement of a State Board of Education member is that

Biology textbooks which do not teach both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the theory of evolution must be rejected by the Board.

In reality, Shackleford & the Free Market Foundation support scientifically inaccurate textbooks. Keep in mind that neither he nor Maddox are scientists. Although Maddox might know the male urogenital tract very well, his biologically-uninformed opinions on evolution are far from accurate and contradict the REAL science supported by well over a century of hard data.