# My state has embarrassed me AGAIN **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473 "2012-04-11T16:23:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jasper\_Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@Jasper\_Kent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasper_Kent)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/1 "2012-04-11T16:23:11Z")
Check out the new TN law: > **[SA0901.pdf](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Amend/SA0901.pdf)** > > 52.03 KB Basically, it will allow discussion of creationism along with evolution in science classes. Oh, and the sponsor of the bill is from right here where I live: Hixson (part of Chattanooga). I’m so dang proud. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/2 "2012-04-11T16:36:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Teachers are not allowed to raise the alternative theories but must explore them if mentioned. [http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/11/us-usa-education-tennessee-idUSBRE83A00720120411](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/11/us-usa-education-tennessee-idUSBRE83A00720120411) At least they’re not being compelled to teach it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/3 "2012-04-11T16:40:30Z")
At least it’s not spelled Hickson. 😉 There’s an ongoing thread in GD about this, fyi. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/4 "2012-04-11T17:42:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > At least it’s not spelled Hickson. 😉 > > There’s an ongoing thread in GD about this, fyi. I also mentioned it (before the governor signed it) in the “Stupid Repuplican Ideas” thread in the Pit. I’ve noticed our Governor signs an awful lot of stupid right-wing bills that he says he disagrees with. Nice way to have your cake and eat it too. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/5 "2012-04-11T19:18:07Z")
I forgot who raised the argument, but it went a little like this: “If creationism is to be mentioned by teachers, then every tax-exempt religious institution (which is therefore state-sponsored) should be teaching evolution together with the creation story”. Only more eloquently put. ---
**Author:** ![Jasper\_Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@Jasper\_Kent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasper_Kent)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/6 "2012-04-11T23:24:57Z")
> [@MostlyClueless](#): > > I forgot who raised the argument, but it went a little like this: > > “If creationism is to be mentioned by teachers, then every tax-exempt religious institution (which is therefore state-sponsored) should be teaching evolution together with the creation story”. > > Only more eloquently put. I absolutely agee! And (to **tdn** ) even if teachers don’t bring it up, why is science class the place to discuss creationism? Students in this country (and especially in places like TN) are already struggling to keep up with the rest of the world in science. This is a big step back to 1925. _Just call us the Monkey State,_ Tennessee Jasper ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/7 "2012-04-11T23:47:18Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I also mentioned it (before the governor signed it) in the “Stupid Repuplican Ideas” thread in the Pit. > > I’ve noticed our Governor signs an awful lot of stupid right-wing bills that he says he disagrees with. Nice way to have your cake and eat it too. The link in your OP says he didn’t sign it. He let it become law without his signature, presumably so he could be against it before he was for it. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/8 "2012-04-12T23:58:35Z")
Why did I already know which state this would be about? ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/9 "2012-04-13T00:53:32Z")
Ugh! I was listening to my state senator yap on about this on the way to work the other day. It makes me wonder if a science teacher would dare to teach a non-Christian version of creation, how much outrage people around here would show. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/10 "2012-04-13T00:57:48Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Ugh! > > I was listening to my state senator yap on about this on the way to work the other day. It makes me wonder if a science teacher would dare to teach a non-Christian version of creation, how much outrage people around here would show. 😃 Context! Which state do you live in? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/11 "2012-04-13T11:33:33Z")
> [@Jasper\_Kent](#): > > Check out the new TN law: > > [http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Amend/SA0901.pdf](http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Amend/SA0901.pdf) > Basically, it will allow discussion of creationism along with evolution in science classes. Oh, and the sponsor of the bill is from right here where I live: Hixson (part of Chattanooga). > > I’m so dang proud. If it simply “allows discussion” are you at least proud of the existing “laws” such that a state is compelled to pass laws to allow discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Jasper\_Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@Jasper\_Kent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasper_Kent)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/12 "2012-04-13T12:34:31Z")
I think that in science classes they should also discuss the fact that the laws of physics don’t always apply (consider Christ’s miracles), that Earth is only about 6000 years old, and that hurricanes, earthquakes, and AIDS are God’s punishment for our sinful ways. And in history classes they should discuss how slavery wasn’t such a bad thing and that maybe the Holocaust never happened. I’d also like to see discussions about how Obama is probably the Antichrist. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/13 "2012-04-13T17:37:25Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Context! > Which state do you live in? 🙂 Tennessee. But that would also be interesting in any part of the Bible Belt. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/14 "2012-04-13T18:28:20Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Tennessee. But that would also be interesting in any part of the Bible Belt. 😛 This is true. But for all we knew, you were some Godless Yankee. 🙂 MamaPlant was born in the beautiful state of Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/15 "2012-04-13T18:43:39Z")
> [@Jasper\_Kent](#): > > And (to **tdn** ) even if teachers don’t bring it up, why is science class the place to discuss creationism? It’s not. At the most, a teacher should say “Some religions believe otherwise. Now back to the science.” Serious question: What percentage of science teachers in Tennessee actually want to teach creationism? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/16 "2012-04-14T03:04:21Z")
I grew up in rural Alabama. My 6th grade teacher was a very religious woman (Church of God). When it came time to teach the Big Bang, etc. she had a student read the first few verses of Genesis to the class before going into the actual lesson. On the test the question was worded “How do men say the earth was created?” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/17 "2012-04-14T03:23:01Z")
How many governors and congressmen from your state have gone to prison? Get a few more into the pen, so you’re at least within shouting distance of Illinois, and then we can talk about embarrassing states. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-state-has-embarrassed-me-again/618473/18 "2012-04-14T03:37:02Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Serious question: What percentage of science teachers in Tennessee actually want to teach creationism? To rephrase this slightly, “What percentage of crack-brained religious zealots want to become science teachers, now that they can use the position as a bully pulpit for their witnessing?”