Florida Citizens for Science

For those of you who don’t travel the science blogs highway and so don’t already know about this, there is an interesting, and even funny display of incompetence surrounding the folks who are screening the movie Expelled around the country. It’s relevant to us here in Florida because the movie was screened for our state legislators in an attempt to influence them concerning the two so-called “academic freedom” bills that are now before them. And that screening was closed to Florida citizens and the media.

I won’t spoil the punch line for you, so just head over to this post, and then follow it up with this post.

Why should we here in Florida care about this? Because it illustrates the hypocrisy of the folks behind Expelled, and reveals their intentions in a way that even the clown show they put on here in the Sunshine State didn’t. To read about what happened here in Florida, just check out our “Expelled movie” blog category.

edited to add: two newspapers picked this up so far. The Twin Cities Pioneer Press and even the New York Times.

“What surprised me is it is a really lousy film, even if you happen to agree with it,” said [Richard] Dawkins, who took advantage of a question-and-answer session after the screening to ask why Myers wasn’t allowed in. “P.Z. is in the film extensively. If anyone had a right to see the film, it was him. The incompetence, on a public relations level, is beyond belief.”

…

In the meantime, [P.Z.] Myers is entertained by this irony: “Expelled’s” closing credits include a thank-you to him. So he knows the filmmakers are grateful for the couple of hours he gave them last year. Just not grateful enough to let him see their movie.

The Tallahassee Democrat quite rightly praises lawmakers who passed up seeing the Expelled movie. I have yet to see an official count of how many lawmakers actually went to the movie, but I have heard from sources that the number is in single digits.

But the evening at downtown’s IMAX Theater, which was rented out to Mr. Stein’s group for $940, was a bust, with only about 100 people attending the movie. And most of those weren’t lawmakers who were (tiptoeing out on that limb now) apparently not really interested in wading into a dispute that exacerbates two controversies.

Here’s my quick take on the whole Expelled mess and the relation to the creationism bills.

I’ve been closely watching the media reports concerning science education in Florida for a few years now. I’ve seen tidal waves of news coverage when anti-evolution/anti-science rises from the depths. The Seattle-based Discovery Institute and Ben Stein’s cameo appearance in Florida got some media attention, but it was minor compared to previous media tidal waves.

The stories that did run can’t be to the Discovery Institutes’s liking at all. The reports are actually funny to read as lawyer Casey Luskin and actor Ben Stein tripped and stumbled over intelligent design. As far as the creationism bills (”academic freedom”) are concerned, they would just rather tuck intelligent design into a closet and ask everyone to forget about that big failure. These bills are about “freedom of speech” and not intelligent design, except, well, for when it is about intelligent design. That big failure just keeps popping up at the wrong times. Comical.

So, my armchair quarterback assessment of the Discovery Institutes’s game? They apparently thought they would walk into Florida and dazzle everyone with their low-watt star power. Didn’t happen. They were trounced. My guess is that they hurt their cause more than they helped. A lot of credit goes to the Florida media who did decide to cover this. They knew what to ask, and they then reported what they heard.

As for the movie itself: Florida Citizens for Science would comment on the movie Expelled, but unfortunately, the people who are so concerned about academic freedom have seen fit to expel the press and the general public from viewing it, which censors any possible informed comments. This is an ironic and offensive move. Their excuse is that the movie is not quite finished. Something doesn’t make sense here. If you have an unfinished movie that you don’t want to screen to the general public, do you really want to screen it for lawmakers who might be making an important decision based on this unpolished work? Obviously, their desire to exclude reporters and the general public has nothing to do with the movie’s completion status. Hmmmmm … do you smell something?

As far as the creationism bills go:

• Comments made at the press conference make it clear: if these bills are passed, students will introduce intelligent design as they think it is scientific (which it’s not), and it will cause court cases and a judge to have to decide whether we are teaching science or theological non-science. This had already happened in Dover, Pa.

• These bills and others just like them were rejected several times by other states, promoted now by a group on the West Coast, and being sold by a movie company. Let’s be serious here! Scientists and science educators FROM FLORIDA already considered these issues and made their recommendations. The FLORIDA Board of Education considered them also, and approved our new standards. Who are these outsiders trying to mess with FLORIDA kids?

• These bills do not protect “academic freedom” as it is used by the scholarly community. K-12 teachers are responsible for teaching the curriculum. These bills would encourage irresponsibility on the part of teachers in bringing in materials without accountability and treating them as having comparable credibility with those of the standard curriculum.

• Are legislators really desirous of passing a bill to teach nothing in particular, just in case something was left out of the standards? That certainly doesn’t sound right. That’s because the Discovery Institute of Seattle wants to teach something specific; and it is not scientific, contrary to their assertions.

• The obvious answer to an item brought up during the press conference concerning who would decide what information is scientific is this: Let the scientists decide what is taught in the science classrooms, which should be whatever is the consensus of the scientific community. Those who clearly don’t understand science shouldn’t be making that decision.

• These bills reveal their true purpose by singling out evolutionary science. If an actual principled defense of “academic freedom” were intended, the wording would be general enough to protect teachers wishing to discuss alternative views on any topic.

My apologies for this quick news link dump. The chemistry class I’m taking now is kicking my butt. I hope to have some thoughts on the movie situation up here tonight. In the meantime:

Herald Tribune. I’m not buying what Mr. Luskin is selling.

Stein and John Stemberger, president of Florida Family Action, insisted the legislation would not permit teaching intelligent design or creation science because the bill only applies to criticism of evolution based on scientific information, not the introduction of other theories.

Casey Luskin, a lawyer for the Discovery Institute, agreed but said he personally believes intelligent design is scientific.

It is unclear who would decide what information is scientific, though Stein suggested it ought to be left up to teachers.

The Miami Herald has in their headline “Intelligent Design could slip into science class”

The religiously tinged evolution-questioning theory of Intelligent Design could more easily be brought up in public-school science classrooms under a proposed ”academic freedom” legislation being pushed by conservative lawmakers. And it’s not just the ACLU saying it anymore….

Church-state separatists say religious groups are trying to use the bill as a Trojan horse to introduce religion in science classrooms.

”The Intelligent Design movement has embraced this political strategy to sneak its religious views into the science classroom, and that’s what you’re seeing now in Florida,” said Howard Simon, a Florida director for the ACLU, which filed the Dover case.

”The strategy is this: Let’s call Intelligent Design scientific information, and let’s make sure that teachers can teach that scientific information,” Simon said, adding that his organization would sue if the bill became law and teachers began proselytizing in class.

…

Said Simon: “There is no constitutional right to mis-educate Florida students. If a science teacher is teaching serious science and is censored, that’s an academic-freedom issue we would defend. But if they’re having Sunday school in science class, that’s a problem.”

Hernando Today has an article polling the local legislators about the creationism bills: “Hernando Lawmakers Weigh In On Evolution Bill”

The Tampa Tribune: “Actor Stein Plays Role In Debate On Evolution Education”

It remains unclear whether the bill permits the teaching of intelligent design in public schools.

“The answer is no,” said John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council. “This does not allow the permitting of alternate theories to be taught. It only allows the criticism and the presenting of relevant, objective scientific evidence which criticizes chemical or biological evolution.”

That would seem to settle the question. Yet moments later, Casey Luskin, an attorney for the Seattle-based Discovery Institute said that even as he agreed with Stemberger, he personally considers intelligent design to be “scientific information.”

All of which raises questions about what qualifies as “science” - and who, ultimately, decides.

…

The film’s producers said that decision was made because of the current rough form of the film, which they are completing for release to all audiences April 18, but the exclusive screening only fueled attacks from the skeptics.

“We are deeply concerned that, however many legislators show up, they will be spoon-fed this material and mostly no one from the public will be there to see what goes on,” said Brandon Haught, spokesman for Florida Citizens for Science.

Tallahassee Democrat: “Lawmakers attend Tallahassee screening of movie by Ben Stein”

Few lawmakers were among about 100 people who showed up for the private screening of Stein’s film.

Organizers refused to let reporters or uninvited spectators into the theater, which was rented for two hours at $940.63, but insisted that no discussion of pending legislation would occur.

…

But House Minority Leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, who testified in favor of evolution at the Board of Education meeting last month, said there is no evidence that teachers or students in Florida are being punished for challenging Darwinian theories. Gelber said allowing “any scientific theory” in classrooms was a back-door attempt at getting creationism into the curriculum and might result in racists or Holocaust deniers demanding a platform for their beliefs in biology or history classes.

“I wasn’t aware of anybody being penalized for questioning evolution,” said Gelber. “The Legislature needs to walk away from this debate. The State Board of Education has addressed it and that’s the end of the debate. This is a solution in search of a problem.”

I have not doubt I missed some stories. Feel free to link away in the comments.

Is the movie being screened just for state legislators in any way a violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law? Florida has strict laws governing public records and public meetings. Any meeting of lawmakers must be properly advertised and must be open to the public. So, does having some lawmakers attend a movie that directly addresses two bills before them run afoul of any laws? The News-Press asks around, and apparently no one has any heartburn over the issue.

The invitation to “Expelled” is just for legislators and their spouses, along with legislative aides. The press and public is excluded.

House Minority Leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, asked House general counsel Jeremiah Hawkes if that’s legal — since Florida law requires open meetings whenever two or more lawmakers meet to discuss pending business. Hawkes replied that, as long as they just watch the film and don’t discuss the issue or arrange any future votes, it’s technically legal.

John Stemberger, head of the Florida Family Policy Council, was asked if it’s a smart political tactic to have a closed meeting. He replied that it’s all right.

“It’s not a closed meeting — we invited the whole Legislature,” said Stemberger.
“There’s no business being discussed. They’re just watching a movie.”

Word about Rep. Hays’ movie invite to his fellow Florida legislators is filtering out to the media. Newspaper blogs are talking up a storm on the event.

The Orlando Sentinel has no less than three separate blogs on the subject: education, politics and entertainment. From the politics blog:

The House General Counsel’s office cleared the showing Wednesday night at the Tallahassee IMAX because it’s being paid for by Motive Entertainment, a company that doesn’t employ a Capitol lobbyist, and it’s “a film presenting information about an issue affecting the legislature.”

The Miami Herald posts on this at their Naked Politics blog:

Stein, a comedian and former speechwriter for Richard Nixon, will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Tallahassee to make an “important announcement,” which probably means he will talk about his film, which has its public debut in April.

And the Miami Herald already has a full story up on their website. It follows the dirt trail behind the creationism bills and Ben Stein’s movie. The story mentions the Dover, Pa. intelligent design trial, and continues with:

The ACLU and the judge noted that the Intelligent Design backers, the Discovery Institute, had written something called the ”Wedge Strategy” document, which laid out a multiyear plan to introduce “theistic and Christian science.”

In that light, the documentary and legislation appear to go hand in hand with phases II and III of the wedge document, which seek to build up popular support and then provide legal assistance to help “the integration of design theory into public schools.”

Trailers show images of Hitler when Stein talks about evolution supporters, and the documentary clearly presents Stein’s argument in religious terms.

…

The press and public are banned from Wednesday’s prescreening at the Challenger Learning Center.

”It’s kind of an irony: The public is expelled from a movie called Expelled,” said House Democratic leader Dan Gelber of Miami Beach, who summed up the legislation as “problematic.”

And the St. Petersburg Times education blog digs into the issue, too:

Challenger Center Director Norman Thagard (left) told The Gradebook this afternoon that the center was not in any way endorsing the movie, and that not allowing its IMAX movie center to be rented for the showing of “Expelled” could open the door to a discrimination lawsuit. “I just don’t want the center to be portrayed as sponsoring this,” Thagard said. “We’re just allowing our facilities to be used per our policies.”

ABC Action News has a short story posted:

Actor, writer, and comedian Ben Stein will be in Tallahassee this week for what’s believed will be an endorsement of a proposal sponsored by Senator Ronda Storms and Representative Allen Hays.

…

Many feel the bill has little chance of making it through the full legislature as most lawmakers are highly reluctant to tinker with the teaching standards approved by the Board of Education. As a compromise, the Board last month approved compromise language calls for teaching the “scientific theory of evolution.”

A news releases says Stein will appear “along with Florida Legislators, public school science teachers, and concerned parents for an important announcement.”

The Sun-Sentinel has a blog post, as does the Tampa Tribune.

And an interesting tidbit here: a site called Offensive Christians is rallying its troops in defense of the creationism bills. They accuse Florida Citizens for Science of mobilizing the humanists. Funny. Many of our members are Christians. For example, our president is a deacon in his church and in the church choir. One of our board members is president of Pacesetters Bible School, Inc. Groups like Offensive Christians really need to get the message that our side of the fight is focused on science education. That’s our motive. It’s not about fighting for or against any religion. Unfortunately, many of those on the other side of the fight are focused on religion to a fault. Science education is just a cover story for them.

Florida Rep. D. Alan Hays, who filed creationism bill (”academic freedom”) HB 1483, has invited his fellow lawmakers out to a movie. Let’s see here … what’s good playing right now that Florida’s legislator’s might like to see. Oh! I know! How about a film where good ol’ fashioned creationism is re-branded as persecuted “academic freedom.” That should be right up everyone’s alley.

That’s right, Ben Stein and the Discovery Institute’s Expelled is coming to a theater near … no, not you … near your in-session legislature, which just so happens to have two bills before it expounding the virtues of so-called “academic freedom.” Here’s the e-mail invite:

From: Rousseau, Tiffany
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 3:18 PM
To: !HSE All House Members & LAs
Subject: Special Invitation from Representative Hays

An exclusive invitation to members of the Florida Legislature:

Representative Alan Hays Invites you to attend an exclusive pre-screening to be held by Motive Entertainment of the New Major Picture Documentary:

Expelled:
No Intelligence Allowed
Starring Ben Stein

What:
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, follows Ben Stein on his journey around the globe where he discovers that scientists, educators and philosophers are being persecuted because they dare to go against the theory of evolution.

Where:
IMAX Theater
Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee
200 South Duval Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301

When:
Wednesday, March 12th 2008
7:30 p.m.

RSVP Online at
http://rsvp.getexpelled.com/events/events/rsvp/MGgr7Ke

As a member of the Legislature, you are invited to attend this screening with 1 guest.

For questions, please contact Tiffany at: Tiffany.Rousseau@myfloridahouse.gov
850-488-0348

***This event has been approved by House General Counsel and is not paid for by a lobbyist/principal.

Florida Citizens for Science has some questions here:

This is not paid for a lobbyist/principal. But would the benefactor possibly be crossing any lines here seeing as how this movie has direct relations to HB 1483 and SB 2692? I have no knowledge of such things, so please enlighten me in the comments, folks.

What in the world is the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee doing allowing this to happen at their facility? Take a look at their mission statement.

Our missions include the provision to K-12 students of standards-aligned, high-quality “hands-on” educational experiences in science and engineering through the use of high-fidelity aerospace simulators.

Expelled and the related bills filed in the legislature are the complete opposite of standards-aligned. Florida Citizens for Science is definitely going to be asking some questions. I encourage you to do so, too. At the very least, they should do as the Smithsonian Institution did in issuing a statement removing their co-sponsorship of the movie The Privileged Planet.

[edited to add: It is important to highlight two posts from the comments thread: "I am told by Norman Thagard, MD, the director of the Challenger Center, that anyone not showing pornography is allowed to rent the CC and they cannot discriminate among those to whom they rent. Evidently this legislator has arranged this showing and rented the facility." And: "The IMAX theater that is being rented has nothing to do with the Challenger Center. The IMAX theater is rented out by an organization that has no organizational or fiscal ties to the Challenger Center."]

What is Expelled? You can start here at the official website. But more revealing is this movie review and PZ Myers’ experiences.