Today’s installment of Our America comes from … Tennessee:

Robin D. Zimmer, Knoxville

Our nation and our state are losing its scientific dominance and leadership in the world. Why? I believe the answer lies in early (pre-college) education and training. The Wall Street Journal reported that 80 percent of our high school seniors nationwide are now scoring below proficiency in science and mathematics (Jan. 26, 2011). Moreover, our country has now slipped to 31st in world science and math education. It is clear that something is wrong with our approach to teaching and something must be done for the welfare of our kids, our state and our great nation.

Tennessee’s recently passed “evolution bill” offers an improvement in our approach to science education. The bill simply proposes that public school teachers be permitted to allow critical analysis of scientific theories within the classroom. Nothing more and nothing less. Did modern man evolve from the apes? Maybe so, maybe not. Is there evidence that life on Earth was purposely designed? Maybe so, maybe not. Was life on Earth seeded from space aliens? Maybe so, maybe not. Empower the students to analyze the evidence from all angles by applying critical-thinking principles. Let us not encumber our high school and middle school students by dictating controversial theories and doctrine to them so that they can memorize and regurgitate it come exam time. Memorizing and filling in the teacher’s answers on an exam may produce good note-takers, but not good critical thinkers and scientists.

As president and chief operating officer of a Tennessee biotechnology firm, I am passionate about good science education. After all, my company’s welfare is highly dependent upon good scientific thinkers and problem solvers. Where will these good scientists come from? Overseas?

Finally, some folks have stated that this newly passed bill is confusing. I don’t find it confusing at all. I find it necessary.

The writer of this little letter has history. When this bill came up last year he wrote, and this is copied from the IDiots site as they apparently love him:

[…] focused on the teaching of evolution as a non-controversial fact. But are there controversies associated with theories such as full Darwinian macroevolution? Sure there are. Michael Behe, […]

See - the US can once again become the world leader in science, if only we could be free to discuss the errors of Darwinian macroevolution.

It all makes sense now.