Anti-Evolution Education Bill Passes Florida Senate

The Senate by a 21 to 17 vote just passed a controversial bill that aims to protect teachers who are critical of evolution.

The bill, proposed by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, is modeled on the Academic Freedom Act suggested by the Discovery Institute, which backs the theory of Intelligent Design.

Critics say it is a sneaky way to inject religious beliefs into public schools and aims to undercut the state's new (and many say top-notch) science standards.

Storms filed the bill shortly after the State Board of Education adopted new science standards that require for the first time the teaching of evolution. That was a controversial decision that upset many residents who argued evolution was unproven, in conflict with their religious beliefs -- or both.

But Storms said the bill was about protecting teachers First Amendment rights.

"This is a freedom of speech issue," she said before the vote.

Read rest at source including re: the action on a similar bill in the Florida "House". 

But, wait.  Public Schools are paid for by the taxpayers, and using taxpayer money to teach religious doctrines (as Creationism and most of the other 10 million forms of Intelligent Design constitute) is illegal.