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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Is 'Academic Freedom' a Disguise for Religion?

    In 1925, a Tennessee jury convicted John Scopes for questioning the Bible by teaching Evolution. More recently, it's become a required science. But now the legislature has passed a law allowing teachers to raise "scientific weaknesses" about Evolution, along with Global Warming.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    In 1925, a Tennessee jury convicted John Scopes for questioning the Bible by teaching Evolution. More recently, it's become a required science. But now the legislature has passed a law allowing teachers to raise "scientific weaknesses" about Evolution, along with Global Warming. The new law – which protects teachers from helping students "review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories" including… evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming and human cloning" -- will become law unless Governor Bill Haslam vetoes it today, which he's not likely to do. Science educators say there are no such "weaknesses," and warn that Tennessee could become a laughing stock for teaching pseudo science. The legal language denies any intention of promoting religion, but the ACLU is threatening to sue. We hear both sides.

    The full episode

    1 of 3
    Academic Freedom versus Science
    1. 0:00Is 'Academic Freedom' a Disguise for Religion?You’re reading this
    2. 0:00Terror Suspects Extradited to US
    3. 0:00Rick Santorum Suspends His Campaign
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Caitlin Shamberg

      KCRW

    • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

      Sonya Geis

      Senior Managing Editor

    • KCRW placeholder

      Lata Pandya

      Assistant Producer, To the Point/Which Way, LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      David Fowler

      Family Action Council of Tennessee

    • KCRW placeholder

      Larisa DeSantis

      Vanderbilt University

    • KCRW placeholder

      Edward Larson

      Pepperdine University School of Law

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    1 of 3
    Academic Freedom versus Science
    1. 0:00Is 'Academic Freedom' a Disguise for Religion?You’re reading this
    2. 0:00Terror Suspects Extradited to US
    3. 0:00Rick Santorum Suspends His Campaign
    Back to To the Point