South Dakota SB 112

No, Senator Monroe, it isn’t a societal debate. It’s about teaching science vs. teaching religious based pseudoscience in public schools. 

http://notdistrictdialogue.tumblr.com/post/75182557892/intelligent-design-bill-coming-soon

South Dakota SB 112

South Dakota legislators introduced a new bill this week, SB 112 which will protect teachers that choose to teach intelligent design in their classrooms.

SB 112: An Act to prohibit schools from preventing the instruction of intelligent design.

Bill Text: BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

Section 1. That chapter 13-33 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows: No school board or school administrator may prohibit a teacher in public or nonpublic school from providing instruction on intelligent design or other related topics.

If this bill passes, it is a gross church-state violation. Let’s be honest - intelligent design is teaching creationism, which is teaching Christianity in public schools. 

Intelligent design is also not science. The theory of evolution is based on sound evidence, intelligent design is not. 

The bill sponsors also obviously didn’t put a lot of time into writing the bill, which is one somewhat vague sentence. They probably didn’t realize that the way SB 112 is worded, it is also opening it up for teachers to not be prohibited from teaching that intelligent design is pseudoscience. I’m also guessing they didn’t spend any time reviewing the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover, where a federal judge ruled that it is unconstitutional to teach intelligent design in public schools. 

There’s also the very vague “or other related topics” tacked onto the end of the bill - what does that mean? Teaching the Bible would be a “related topic,” but it would be a definite no-no to preach the gospel in public schools.

My fellow South Dakotans, you need to contact your legislators and let them know that this bill is unconstitutional. Right now, it is in the Senate Education Committee. Listed below is the contact information for the bill’s sponsors as well as the members of the Senate Education Committee. Be polite, but let them know that this is wrong.

SENATE SPONSORS:
Monroe, Jeff 605-222-7829 
Jensen, Phil 605-343-1335 
Lederman, Dan 605-232-0050 
Otten, Ernie 605-368-5716 
Rampelberg, Bruce 605-390-2165 
Van Gerpen, Bill 605-589-3064 

HOUSE SPONSORS:
Greenfield, Brock 605-773-3851
Craig, Scott 605-342-0999
Haggar, Don 605-360-8130
Haggar, Jenna 605-610-9779
Schoenfish, Kyle 605-660-6468
Steele, Manny 605-335-7036
Wick, Hal 605-332-1360

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 
Soholt, Deb 605-321-5931 sen.soholt@state.sd.us
Maher, Ryan 605-466-2371 sen.maher@state.sd.us
Curd, Blake 605-339-8918 sen.curd@state.sd.us
Jensen, Phil 605-343-1335 sen.jensen@state.sd.us
Jones, Chuck 605-997-3510 sen.jones@state.sd.us
Rampelberg, Bruce 605-390-2165  sen.rampleberg@state.sd.us
Welke, Chuck 605-229-1467 sen.welke@state.sdu.us