Apparently stupidity is contagious. The Education Oversight Committee in South Carolina just voted to weaken science standards.

A proponent of teaching various theories of human origin, which include creationism, gained support Monday from the state’s public school reform oversight panel.

At the urging of Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, the Education Oversight Committee voted 8-7 to strike from high school biology standards wording that tied schools to teaching only evolution.

...

“This is unprecedented,” said Dale Stuckey, the state Department of Education chief lawyer. “It’s my interpretation of the law that (EOC members) have no authority to change the standards.”

The state Department of Education writes standards all teachers must follow in designing their daily lessons. The oversight panel signs off on what the agency and the state school board approve.

This is absolutely depressing. The standards were written by the Department of Education in discussion with experts in the field of biology, and now they're being gutted by theoconservative politicians. Notice how they're always Republicans.

Fair said Monday he is merely “trying to get students more engaged” in looking at the origins of life from different perspectives. He said he is not campaigning to put the teaching of “creationism” on par with evolution.

Monday’s vote enraged educators from the college and public school ranks in the audience.

“Science is not democracy,” said Jerry Waldvogel, a Clemson University professor.

“Science is not negotiated,” said Doug Florian, a College of Charleston professor.

“Science is based on evidence,” said Joe Pollard, a Furman University professor.

Fair's statement is misleading. If you want to discuss alternate viewpoints on the origins of life, by all means go ahead, but don't weaken biology standards to do so. Add some standards that require creation myths to be taught in history/mythology/philosophy and be sure to include multiple myths such as the Judeo-Christian, Hopi Indian, Hindu, and Ancient Greek versions. Teach kids to recognize that these viewpoints were created by ancient cultures to explain what could not be known to them at the time, and then teach them that using the scientific method we have been able to learn how the Earth was likely formed, and how diversity of species has arisen.

The truth of the matter is that science isn't a subject where constructing internally consistent arguments is enough to create a valid theory. Your internally consistent argument must also be backed up by external evidence. Not one shred of physical evidence has ever been produced to back up creationism or "intelligent design." There are certainly things in nature we can't explain (yet) but as PZ Myers wrote today:

There will always be things we don't know and science that falls short. Pointing out a weakness in my theory, however, does not provide support for your theory, and this tactic of the creationists of responding to requests for evidence with whines about something they don't like about evolution is getting old and tired.