US Flag OESE logo
About the logo 		Oklahoma State Flag

Articles and Flyers

  • The Oklahoma Textbook Disclaimer
  • What's Wrong with the Disclaimer?
  • Teaching Evolution
  • The Pocket Darwin
  • Statement of OU Science Faculty
  • Resolution of OU Faculty Senate on Disclaimers
  • OSU Department of Zoology Statement on Evolution
  • OU Department of Zoology Statement on Evolution
  • Santorum Amendment
  • OESE Web Flyer
  • Letter from Ex-President Jimmy Carter
  • Wedge Plan
  • Anti-Wedge Plan
  • National Association of Biology Teachers Statement on Teaching Evolution
  • OK Interfaith Alliance on Evolution
  • Anti-ID Talking Points
  • Why OK House Resolution is BAD
  • Resolution of AAUP
  • Resolution of Faculty Senate SWOSU
  • OU Faculty Senate Statement on Science
  • Oklahoma Academy of Science Statement
  • Improving Evolution Education from Geotimes
  • Analysis of HB 1001 Religiosity Bill
  • Analysis of SB 320 "Academic Freedom" Bill
  • Anti-Science Legislation: No Strengths and Lots of Weaknesses

    • Archives

  • Oklahoma Textbook Committee Statute
  • Oklahoma Textbook Approval Schedule
  • 'Disclaiming the Disclaimer'
  • 'Oklahoma's Devisive Disclaimer'
  • Attorney General Opinion on Textbook Committee (2000)
  • Biology Texbook Authors on Oklahoma Disclaimer
  • Whose Creationism shall we teach?
  • In Their Own Words
  • Wedging Creationism into the Academy
  • Rev. Dr. Bob Rice on Creation
  • The Fossil Fallacy
  • Court Decisions
  • Judge Jones Conclusions
  • Oklahoma Teaching Standards
  • Anti-ID Editorials
  • Critique of Blick editorial
  • Dembski's visit to OU
  • Previous Oklahoma Bills
  • Early Anti-evolution Movements in Oklahoma

    • Board of Governors

    Speakers Bureau

    Teaching Resources

    Evolution Web Sites

    Creationist Web Sites

    Web sites on religion/science compatibility

    Oklahoma Legislature and Government

    Other States

    Humor

    Books

    Other Organizations

    Podcasts on Evolution and Science

    Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization that promotes the education of the public about the methods and values of science and advocates excellence in the science curriculum. Activities include participation in educational and scientific organization conferences, workshops for science teachers, operation of a speakers' bureau, maintenance of an informational list serve, and related activities.

    The formation of OESE was prompted by the attempts in the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee in 1999 to diminish the teaching of evolution by the introduction of creationist textbook disclaimers to be inserted into any textbook used in public schools that discussed evolution. There have been bills introduced almost every year since 1999 for legislation that would allow teaching creationism in science courses; OESE has opposed all such attempts.

    Join OESE

    OESE is seeking members. Memberships are available for $10. Please print and fill out the OESE membership application and mail to the address indicated on the form. Tax-deductable donations are also welcomed.

    NEWS

    THANK YOU, RICHARD DAWKINS
    OESE thanks Richard Dawkins and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science for the $5,000 donation to OESE that he announced at his talk on the OU Campus on Friday, March 6, 2009. Although OESE played a small role in bringing Dawkins to OU, we are happy Dawkins appreciates the larger role we play in supporting science education in Oklahoma. Dawkins remarks about OESE can be seen in this video clip from RichardDawkins.net.
    OESE is pleased to announce that Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science donated an additional $1,500 to OESE at the end of 2009.

    One-man play on Charles Darwin available for interested audiances. See it on YouTube.

    EVENTS

    Steven Pinker to Keynote Spring Emerson-Wier Symposium at USAO
    Steven Pinker asks audacious questions about the human mind -- then boldly sets out to answer them. Recently named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World, he is enormously popular in the media and highly respected in scientific circles. On April 8, he takes center stage in Chickasha as the keynote speaker for the fourth annual Emerson-Wier Liberal Arts Symposium. The evening presentation is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in Te Ata Memorial Auditorium on the campus of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. More: http://bit.ly/6Q4htn

    PETITON DRIVE

    This petition supports the teaching of science and only science in Oklahoma public school science classes. The petition was approved by the Oklahoma Academy of Science, Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE), Oklahoma Mainstream Baptists, OK Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Tulsa and OKC Interfaith Alliances, and representatives from several Oklahoma colleges. Go to the petition page to sign the petition online or download a copy to gather signatures.

    SIGN UP FOR OKLAHOMA EVOLUTION LIST SERVE

    When your email program starts up, enter subscribe in the body of the message, then send the email.

    The OKEVOL-L List Serve was established to alert and inform all interested parties in the evolution/creationism debate in Oklahoma. Messages will be sent only with approval of the list managers so that traffic will be kept to a minimum. Information on proposed legislative actions dealing with attempts to place creationist materials into public schools, important scheduled public meetings or debates on evolution/creationism, and any significant other news items dealing with these issues or related items on attempts at inappropriate or unconstitutional censorship will be sent to subscribers.

    Teachers' Evolution Workshop

    The fourth annual Teachers' Workshop on the Teaching of Evolution was held at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum on Natural History (SNOMNH) on 5 September with teachers and science education majors from across the state: Chamberlain Middle School, ASTEC Charter Middle School, Comanche High School, Project HOPE, Mount Saint Mary High School, Westmoore High School, Cameron University, Davis Public Schools, Clinton Middle School, Emerson High School, Oklahoma Christian Academy, Jenks High School, Emerson High School, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University. There were some schools represented by more than one participant.

    Workshop Participants

    The seven Instructors represented SNOMNH staff, Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma and Putnam City School System

    Participants in class Learning together Touring museum

    Participants received eight hours of professional development credit. The workshop was organized by OESE and sponsored by SNOMNH and the OU Biological Station.



    Clergy Letter Project LogoClergy Letter Project: All clergy members are encouraged to go to this link to sign the nationwide outpouring of support for teaching evolution. For too long, the misperception that science and religion are inevitably in conflict has created unnecessary division and conflict concerning the teaching of evolution. The project is also described at the link.



    OESE Joins Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science.
    Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE) has joined the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS), organized coordinate efforts to improve public outreach and science education. The goals of COPUS are:

    • Building the COPUS network - Underpinning the COPUS effort is a growing network of organizations and individuals who share a common goal: engaging sectors of the public in science and increasing their appreciation and understanding of the scientific enterprise. Find out more about participating in the COPUS Network.here
    • Developing state-level benchmark science-indicator reports on the importance of science to the U.S. economy and standard-of-living
    • Supporting a national effort to promote the public understanding of science in a year-long celebration: Year of Science 2009 (also available: Year of Science 2009 fact sheet [PDF])
    • Integrating efforts with the Understanding Science website project currently under development at the University of California, Berkeley

    If you have questions about the website, please e-mail dhough@ou.edu