Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education

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

Anti-evolution bills in Oklahoma Legislature 2012
HB2341, a bill to delay textbook purchases because of lack of funding, that would attach HB1551 ("Academic Freedom Bill") to that bill was not heard in the Senate before the April 26 deadline. The bill is now listed as dormant on the Legislature web site. Thanks to all who sent messages to the senators to keep the amendment from being heard. The legislative session is not over until May 25, however, so the possibility of similar amendments to unrelated bills remains.

OKLAHOMA HB 1551 IS DEAD!

The Oklahoma Senate Education Committee in the last meeting of this session on Monday, 2 April 2012, did not consider the creationist bill and it is gone for this year! (A very similar 'academic freedom act' SB 1742 (Sen. Brecheen) was not heard earlier by a Senate committee). SB 1551 was not placed on the agenda for a hearing. This bill was not heard by the House last year, after passing the House Common Education Committee. It came up again this year and passed the House Committee on a 9-7 vote and was rapidly placed on the House floor for a vote. The original principal author, Sally Kern was removed and replaced by Rep. Blackwell and Kern and Bennett were listed as co-authors. An attempt to gut the bill by Rep. Williams was tabled. The bill then passed overwhelmingly in a late vote (session lasted to 9:20 P.M.), 56 to 12, with 31 excused. The emergency clause failed 45 to 14.
The large vote for the bill encouraged proponents for the bill and most, especially the creationist crowd, expected that the bill would then pass in the Senate. However, a major response against the bill, coordinated mostly by Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE), was launched. National organizations that promptly weighed in to help included American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Biological Sciences, National Center for Science Education, National Earth Science Teachers Association, and National Biology Teachers Association. These groups not only sent a message to each member of the Senate Committee, but asked their members in Oklahoma to send individual messages. Similarly, state organizations that sent messages and asked members to respond included Oklahoma Academy of Science, Oklahoma State Teachers Association, OESE, OKC and Tulsa Interfaith Alliances, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and others including special interest groups on Yahoo, etc. The Tulsa World published a major editorial, written by the entire editorial staff, in late February against the bill. Letters to editors, postings on political and other blogs, and an Op-Ed by Dr. Douglas Mock in The Oklahoman aided in publicity against the measure.
The result of these efforts resulted in HUNDREDS of messages being sent to members of the Senate committee. The messages were still arriving at committee member's offices on Monday morning as the Committee was meeting. These messages, along with some direct lobbying efforts with committee members by individuals and organizations, were certainly responsible for the defeat. All who helped are thanked for their important help. Thus, in influencing legislation , NUMBERS DO COUNT.
The creationists are not likely to stop. Since 1999 Oklahoma has had similar bills in all but two years and in one year there were four such measures, more than any other state. None have made it into law! There have been some previous close calls: e.g., a veto of one bill by a former Democratic Governor, defeat on Senate floor by one vote, defeat in Senate committee by one vote. In all those cases appropriate lobbying efforts worked. Thus, we must be prepared to continue the opposition in future years. THANKS TO ALL WHO RESPONDED AND MADE THIS DEFEAT POSSIBLE!
Earlier posts on other sites: NCSE HERE and HERE; Sensuous Curmudgeon HERE; Mock Op-Ed HERE; Tulsa World editorial, HERE; Phildelphia Enquirer, HERE; Common Dreams, HERE

Other Oklahoma Anti-evolution Bills.
Other 'carry over' bills from the last session that may come again are HB 1001 ('Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act' (Reps. Reynlds and Kern), although vetoed earlier by Governor Henry, it keeps coming up. It passed the House ed Committee last year 9-7, but the leadership did not place it for a house vote. It did not make it out of the House by the deadline and is listed as dormant.
SB 554 (Brecheen) did not get heard last session. It is a very bad bill modeled on the creationist teaching standards attempted in Texas. SB 1742 may be Brecheen's attempt at a replacement. This bill did not make it out of the Senate by the deadline and is listed as dormant.

Tracking bills in the Oklahoma Legislature
OESE has created a bill-tracking page with instructions for finding and tracking bills in the Oklahoma Legislature.

Should Intelligent Design be taught in Public Schools?
Video of American United's Second Annual Hot Button Debate, "Should Intelligent Design be taught in Public Schools?" featuring Abbie Smith vs. Steve Kern can be seen here. Video of the Question and Answer session is here.

Middle School science teacher is Oklahoma City Teacher of the Year
Daniel Buckmaster was named the Oklahoma City Teacher of the Year. Buckmaster teaches sixth-grade science at Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School. Read more at newsok.com. OESE offers our heartiest congratulations!

Congratulations to Vic Hutchison
OESE is pleased to announce that OESE founder, former President, and current Board Member, Vic Hutchison has been awarded the 2011 Jack Renner Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Science Education Award by the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association. The Jack Renner Award is OSTA's highest honor given each year to a person or organization in recognition for significant contributions to science education in Oklahoma. Here is the OSTA's announcement:

This year, we honor Dr. Victor Hutchinson, George Lynn Cross Research Professor emeritus for the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Hutchinson's list of accomplishments is long and varied. A retired Colonel in the Army Reserve, a fellow in the American Academy for the Advancement of Science, a member of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, holder of leadership positions in the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, author or co-author for nearly 150 peer reviewed scientific papers, supervisor for 28 PhD's... The list goes on and on and Dr. Hutchinson has had a very full and active career as a research scientist and University professor.
But our story goes back to the dark days of 1999 when members of the state textbook committee attempted to introduce creationist textbook disclaimers into any textbook used in Oklahoma that discussed Evolution. I attended those hearings and so did Vic Hutchinson and through his efforts and those of others the disclaimers did not make it into law. But from that experience was born Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, founded by Vic with a small group of educators, scientists, theologians, laypersons, and persons interested in maintaining the constitutional separation of church and state. There have been political efforts every year since 1999 to inject religion into public schools and diminish or prohibit the teaching of evolution in Oklahoma science classrooms. And every attempt has been met by Dr. Hutchinson and his colleagues in OESE. He is a tireless advocate for quality science education in our public schools, a regular representative on our behalf in the halls of the legislature, and is a frequent speaker to school and civic groups as well as a commentator on radio and television. He maintains the Oklahoma Evolution listserv, and the OESE website has become a treasure-trove of resources about evolution, evolution education, and science and religion. OESE also sponsors a number of education efforts and by leveraging grants and donations, has made a Teachers Evolution Workshop available to Oklahoma teachers for each of the last six years. His efforts in this realm have been recognized by the Oklahoma Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, with their Constitutional Heritage Award, by the Tulsa Interfaith Alliance with their Award for Science Education and Anti-creationism Efforts, the National Center for Science Education, Friend of Darwin Award and now by the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association with the Jack Renner Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Science Education Award – Bob Melton

Darwin videos on YouTube
Dr. Stan Rice, faculty member at Southeastern Oklahoma State and a Board member of OESE is producing a series of YouTube videos where he portrays Darwin on various topics.

American Association of Medical Colleges recommends a strong background in evolution for medical students
The Scientific Foundations document from the American Association of Medical Colleges stresses the importance of an understanding of evolutionary biology for medical students. In particular, here are the requirements for their Competency E8:
Demonstrate an understanding of how the organizing principle of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of life on earth
1. Explain how genomic variability and mutation contribute to the success of populations.
Examples:

Explain how inappropriate use of antibiotics has contributed to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
Explain the persistence of the sickle cell allele in populations of African descent.

2. Explain how evolutionary mechanisms contribute to change in gene frequencies in populations and to reproductive isolation.
Examples:

Explain how competition for resources can contribute to fixation of a mutant allele in a population over time.
Explain how pathogenic or symbiotic interactions shape community structure (for example, changes in the virulence of an emerging pathogen, or influence of nutrition or antibiotics on the composition of the gut flora).

EVENTS

TEACHERS' EVOLUTION WORKSHOP 2012

Evolution in Oklahoma and Texas Science Classes

Who: High school science teachers and college majors in science education from Oklahoma and northern Texas (approximately from Texarkana, to Dallas-Fort Worth and suburbs to Wichita Falls, Texas)
When: Friday Oct. 5 (6:00 PM) through Sunday Oct. 7, 2012 (3:00 PM)
Where: The University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma, OK

Topics covered will include:

The nature of science and latest developments in evolutionary biology
Curriculum development and state standards
Resources on teaching evolution for teachers
Discussion of participants' favorite lesson plans and classroom experiences
Dealing with classroom and community controversy
Legislation and the political landscape.

Participants will earn a certificate of participation for professional development credit.

Instructors include:

Dr. Julie Angle (Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, OSU)
Dr. Richard Broughton (Zoology, OU)
Dr. Ola Fincke (Zoology, OU)
Dr. Victor Hutchison (Zoology, OU)
Dr. Cecil Lewis (Anthropology, OU)
Dr. Joseph Maness (Biological Sciences, Southwestern OSU)
Bob Melton (Science Curriculum Specialist, Putnam City Schools)
Dr. Stanley Rice (Biological Sciences, Southeastern OSU)

All materials (including two books on teaching evolution), accommodations, and meals at the UOBS are included. The only cost for participants is a $25 registration fee. Registration deadline is Sept. 14, 2012. Early registration is advised as places are limited to 30 registrants.

Further information, registration forms and payment information are on-line at: www.oklascience.org/teachers.pdf and at www.ou.edu/uobs/teachers.htm.

Presented by Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, the National Science Foundation (NSF-0845314), and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station.

Science and Religion: Building Bridges, Dismantling Misconceptions Symposium
A symposium on the relationship between science and religion was held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science-Southwestern and Rocky Mountains Division (AAAS-SWARM) annual meeting at the University of Tulsa on March 31 — April 4, 2012.
A report on the symposium can be found at the AAAS web site.
There was one problem with the symposium which is discussed by OESE board member Stan Rice on his blog.

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.
Click here to unsubscribe from the list serve.

Clergy Letter Project Logo Clergy 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

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