Shelved … 'For Now'

Last week, discussions arose over an education bill being proposed in Tennessee that would require teachers to help students identify weaknesses in scientific theories like evolution and global warming. The Tennessee Science Teachers Association called it "unnecessary, anti-scientific, and very likely unconstitutional," while other critics claimed the bill was designed to promote the teaching of creationism in classrooms. Now, however, the Tennessee Senate has put this "education-wrecking" bill on hold until next year, says Bad Astronomy's Phil Plait. The bill was shelved because of scheduling conflicts, not because the legislators objected to the content, so it could "pop right back up, as these creationist whack-a-mole bills do," Plait says, though he adds that it seems "science education … is safe, for now."