Articles to read today

A couple of good articles and some thoughtful editorial opinion came out today.

First off, in the Deseret News article it notes that a new book on how Mormonism relates to evolution is available, Mormonism and Evolution: the Authoritative LDS Statements, written by Utah Valley State College physics professor William E. Evenson and Brigham Young University biology professor Duane E. Jeffery. It is described as “a compilation of statements made by or sanctioned by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from 1909 to 2004.” (Note: this book appears to be different from a book published a few years back with a similar title with Duane Jeffery as one of the authors.)

The Salt Lake Tribune has been speaking with several of our local scientists who describe the plentiful evidence for evolution that Sen. Chris Buttars and Sen. Mark Madsen can’t seem to find.

The Salt Lake Tribune also takes direct issue with Buttars Bill in an editorial calling it a “downright lie”. And mentions concerning Buttars mouth, “…every time the West Jordan Republican opens his mouth to address the subject [of evolution], he removes all doubt about the fact that he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.” His references to evolution “display a towering ignorance of the subject.”

Unlike Buttars display of his need for some more education (at least where evolution is concerned), the Deseret News notes how Carol Lear, of the USOE, has been doing her homework on how Buttars Bill lacks intelligent design from a federal courts point of view.

Even though the Buttars bill mentions neither intelligent design nor the Bible, some observers think it was motivated by religious concerns. "If you look at State Board of Education minutes from last summer, Buttars made comments like 'my religion doesn't believe that we descended from apes,' " said Carol Lear, director of school law and legislation for the Utah Office of Education. "I don't know how he can disavow his religious motives."

Lear points to a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Wallace v. Jaffee, in which the court struck down an Alabama law requiring a "minute of meditation or voluntary prayer" at the start of each school day. The court ruled that the law violated the First Amendment because the sponsors of the law had religious motives.

The Tribune concludes its editorial with some good advice that may unfortunately become necessary to stop this Bill from becoming law.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is trying to improve both the fact and the reputation of Utah schools in the areas of math and science. But our state's reputation for educational excellence will only devolve if the Legislature is foolish enough to pass Buttars' bill.

The governor should have his veto pen at the ready for this one.