South Carolina Bill Would Inject “Creation Science” Into Public Schools

Some state legislators try to push Creationism into science classrooms by using coded language. For example, they say they want schools to teach the “strengths and weaknesses” of various scientific ideas. But South Carolina Republican Reps. Dwight A. Loftis and James Mikell “Mike” Burns never got that memo.

They’re the sponsors of House Bill 3826, which would inject “Creation science” into an elective comparative religions class.

In addition to the provisions of item (1), a school district may require the teaching of various theories concerning the origin of life, including creation science as part of the course content.

The course would have to be “neutral, objective, and balanced”… except for the part where the Christian creation myth is forced into the curriculum.

The same bill would also force schools to put “In God We Trust” signs in the building. Because, at this point, why the hell not?

The National Center for Science Education notes that the Creationism clause would undoubtedly violate the law:

The teaching of creation science in the public schools was ruled to be unconstitutional — a violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause — by a federal court in McLean v. Arkansas (1982) and by the Supreme Court in Edwards v. Aguillard (1987).

The bill sits in the House Committee on Education and Public Works. Hopefully, it dies there, too.

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