New Rules For Contesting "Traditional Theories" in Louisiana

Will Sentell of the Louisiana Advocate has a story on new rules that parents can use to excuse their children from certain objectionable school subjects. He writes:

The state’s top school board Wednesday approved procedures for residents who object to materials that challenge the teaching of evolution in public school science classes.

The rules, which were praised by evolution critics, stem from a law approved last year by the Legislature.

Backers say the law is needed to give science teachers more freedom to challenge traditional theories, including Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

What other traditional theories are they going to challenge? What about gravity? After all, no one has ever seen a black hole. What about germ theory? What about quantum mechanics? Nobody has ever seen a meson or a lepton or a quark. And searching for the Higgs Boson? forget it. Conceivably, if you believed that the earth was created six thousand years ago, you could complain about astronomy, biology, geology and physics. The only things open to you would be history and grammar. He continues:

The five-member panel will determine whether the materials:

• Promote any religious doctrine, which is banned by the state law.
• Are scientifically sound.
• Are appropriate for the grade.

I would have more faith in this procedure if I had more faith in your local school board to be minimally educated in the sciences.