Rant: Creationist Politicians Want to Infiltrate Colorado Schools

This week, Boulder-based science blogger Phil Plait posted an article about HB 13-1089, the insidiously named "K-12 Academic Freedom Act." The Republican-sponsored bill would mandate that Colorado public schools, "...direct teachers to create an environment that encourages students to intelligently and respectfully explore scientific questions and learn about scientific evidence related to biological and chemical evolution, global warming, and human cloning."

Plait goes on to tactfully, but forcefully, show how the legislation is little more than a right-wing attempt (my words) to instill a creationist agenda into public education, a petty insistence by intellectually unserious and narrow-minded people to keep us even further behind the curve of contemporary, established scientific thought.

One of the great things about America is that you can believe whatever you want. But when you try to mandate that all schoolchildren must treat a subject that has about as much academic credibility as the origins of the Easter Bunny with the same gravity as scientific fact, you're violating everyone else's rights. If Coloradans let this bill become law, we'll be no better than Kansas, Texas, or any of the other states currently under the stranglehold of simpletons.

Rave: A New Music Venue Showcases Colorado's Talent

Denver's ever-expanding music scene just got an exciting new addition: The Moon Room at Summit Music Hall was specifically set up to nurture local musical talent and help Colorado bands build a fan base. Created by Soda Jerk Presents, the fully modernized space will offer a cheap (and sometimes free) option for anyone who wants to see the acts that could be tomorrow's superstars. It's merely the latest encouraging step in the Denver's arts community's invigorating and inspiring...wait for it...evolution. 

—Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Follow 5280 articles editor Luc Hatlestad on Twitter at @LucHatlestad.