# Kansas Redefines Science **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132 "2005-11-08T23:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/61 "2005-11-09T04:46:51Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Encephalupagus is a rare disease of the brain that only snuffelupagai get. Damn you crow! That was going to be my joke! Too slow… always too slow. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/62 "2005-11-09T04:49:31Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Too slow… always too slow. Then _you_ may be qualified for the Kansas Board of Edumacation! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/63 "2005-11-09T04:50:15Z")
OK tThat’s it! I’m becoming a Pastafarian! ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/64 "2005-11-09T04:57:50Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > Q. How many Kansas school board members does it take to change a lightbulb? > > A. Six, to vote in the new definition; the other four voted to keep the old definition that excluded potatoes. That wasn’t called for, and I don’t appreciate it one bit! You have just shown yourself to be on the same level as the people who made those votes in Kansas IMO. The same goes for the rest of the people who showed such attitudes. > [@Una Persson](#): > > Then how about Pitting the people responsible, instead of this shit from the typical mental midgets on the SDMB: > > “Perhaps Kansas is simply destined to be stupid. Fuck 'em.” > > “I’m going to rewrite the definition of stupid to include the entire state of Kansas.” > > “I hate to say it, but maybe yeah. Might have to write these folks off.” > > Note there’s no limitation of scope or direct object in these. But I guess that’s fighting ignorance, huh. > > \*\*I expected better of the SDMB. Yeah, it’s a given that some of the fuckheads will make blanket statements to marginalize an entire population, but one would have hoped other smarter dopers would jump in to castigate that. Hey, what’s it called again when you look at the actions of a tiny minority and use that to negatively paint an entire population? It isn’t called “smart”… \*\* :rolleyes: > > I hope you and any other smart dopers reading this will take action and work to get this bit of ignorance reversed; **this Board deserves better**. (Bolding mine) Thank you **Una Persson** , for speaking up and being a reasonable voice. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/65 "2005-11-09T04:59:27Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Actually, that’s a good point and I think we’re already covered. I don’t doubt for a minute that if and when this gets to the SCOTUS, the teaching of ID will be prohibited from public schools as a violation of the 1st amendment. > > I mean, there’s really only two choiced for who the designer is: either God, or space aliens. Are these guys going to say they’re teaching about space aliens? That sort of depends on where Roberts and Alito fall on the spectrum. Scalia has already been willing to swallow Creationist claptrap on the basis that the people who promote it are acting in good faith and his opponent at the time was the now long departed Brennan. Thomas has also demonstrated a willingness to ignore science while permitting pseudo-science as worthy of consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/66 "2005-11-09T05:05:34Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > That wasn’t called for, and I don’t appreciate it one bit! You have just shown yourself to be on the same level as the people who made those votes in Kansas IMO. Wait, now we can’t use the actions of the Kansas school board to make fun of the _Kansas school board_? I understand **Una** ’s objection, but I think you’re being just a tad oversensitive. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/67 "2005-11-09T05:06:25Z")
> [@astro](#): > > OK tThat’s it! I’m becoming a Pastafarian! rAmen, my brother. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/68 "2005-11-09T05:16:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Wait, now we can’t use the actions of the Kansas school board to make fun of the _Kansas school board_? I understand **Una** ’s objection, but I think you’re being just a tad oversensitive. Well, considering that Kansas has a lot of farmers, of course the school board members would realize a lightbulb wasn’t a potato, it would go without saying. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/69 "2005-11-09T05:19:40Z")
> [@Ghanima](#): > > Kansas shall from now on be described as the “American Taliban State.” I think they perfer “Jesusland” ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/70 "2005-11-09T05:24:21Z")
I still find it so funny they can just redefine whatever they see fit. I mean, they can _do_ that? Maybe they should get working on _pi_ next. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/71 "2005-11-09T05:25:42Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > I think they perfer “Jesusland” That’s “buckle on the Bible belt” to you. 😉 (There are quite a few here who are open minded enough to live and let live too. Phelps is an import remember.) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/72 "2005-11-09T05:30:03Z")
FWIW, don’t think for a minute I support the actions of the Board. I loathe this decision and feel like they (meaning, the ones who voted for this) are dangerous timbertools. The resulting decision is indefensible. I personally, even among the most hard-core fundamentalist Christians I work with, do not know a single, solitary person who supported this. Even the guy I work with who argues (seriously) that “oranges are proof that God exists” and who tries to start client meetings with a benediction (which really goes over well with Buddhist clients, BTW :rolleyes: ) believes this is a bad decision. We haven’t seen the end of this, and IMHO the Board will be brought under control, by one means or another. There is already talk of most of the school districts in the East (most people don’t give a shit, but Kansas is essentially two States - the far East, and the Western 90%, which are quite different) refusing to recognize their authority, so it’s likely heading for the courts. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/73 "2005-11-09T05:31:01Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Or to put it another way they rewrote the definition of science!!! Next on the docket: Gay is contagious. Sit on a toliet seat that a gay has sat on and now you’ve got gay. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/74 "2005-11-09T05:41:38Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > I personally, even among the most hard-core fundamentalist Christians I work with, do not know a single, solitary person who supported this. Even the guy I work with who argues (seriously) that “oranges are proof that God exists” and who tries to start client meetings with a benediction (which really goes over well with Buddhist clients, BTW :rolleyes: ) believes this is a bad decision. All I gotta say is that the Fundies you know are better than the Fundies I know. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/75 "2005-11-09T05:49:41Z")
I doubt seriously that the judicial system in Kansas will allow this change to remain on the books very long. I’ve never been in Kansas, but I’ve seen the bigotry of regionalism all over the SDMB. Just because the religious right has a strong influence in a state and a few minnow-minds work their ways into positions of power doesn’t mean that everyone from that state should be tainted. I doubt that many of you would want the intelligence of all citizens of the United States summarized by the decisions made by the current President. Quick. Somebody redefine “Kansas State School Board.” ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/76 "2005-11-09T06:41:40Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Yeah, it’s a given that some of the fuckheads will make blanket statements to marginalize an entire population, but one would have hoped other smarter dopers would jump in to castigate that. Hey, what’s it called again when you look at the actions of a **tiny minority** and use that to negatively paint an entire population? Bolding mine. Well, it’s true that painting everyone with the same brush is problematic. But do you have any evidence that it is indeed a “tiny minority” of Kansas’s population that approves of these ridiculous science standards. After all, the Kansas State Board of Education is an elected body, with ten members each representing one district in the state. The size of the districts, as shown on the map on [this page](http://www.ksde.org/commiss/bdmem.html), suggest (given the location of Kansas’s large population centers) that the districting has been carried out in an way that attempts to balance population within each district. I’m not sure how successful it has been, but it seems to me that any assertion that only a “tiny minority” of Kansans support this measure needs to be supported with some evidence. Do you have any? And if we find out that a majority of Kansans actually support the new science standards, what then does that say about the place? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@The\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hook)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/77 "2005-11-09T06:50:17Z")
Dorothy: Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Toto: What do you mean? Dorothy: Toto, you can talk! Toto: Of course I can talk. Dorothy: But you’re a dog. Dogs can’t talk. Toto: Pfft. That was way back when science was overrun by heathens who studied the ungodly subjects of “evolution”. Me? I’m no flying monkey. Oh, crap, look! A munchkin is committing suicide! Okay, that went nowhere. Much like Kansas’ education, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/78 "2005-11-09T07:05:22Z")
> [@rayh](#): > > Yes, perhaps we could redefine religion to remove any references to god, Hey, don’t drag us UUs into this mess! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/79 "2005-11-09T07:47:15Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > And you know what? When Illinois does something stupid (hint: search Google news for “illinois + corruption”) feel free to Pit it. Right now, Kansas has just done something insanely stupid it absolutely deserves this Pitting. I’m sorry, because you live there and you love Kansas, and none of us deserve to live in a place that does such stupid things. I hope you and any other Kansans reading this will take action and work to get this bit of ignorance reversed. Your state deserves better. Yeah! And it’s not like anyone could ever find anything less than semi-intelligent about Kentucky… ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132/80 "2005-11-09T07:52:56Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Quick. Somebody redefine “Kansas State School Board.” No problem how about Kansas State School Board as the definition of shit for brains? 😃 Look I am sure that there are smart people in Kansas, as well as hip, cool, easy to get along with and few asshats. The problem is the school board has an over abundance of asshats. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-redefines-science/330132.md?page=5)