The Florida State School Board is holding public hearings to talk about changes to science standards.
New standards were written by scientists and educators, but some evangelical Christians want Creationism and Intelligent Design taught as well.
Clearly, this is an issue that concerns us. Are there any Pastafarians in Florida willing to give us a first-hand report?
They’ve held a meeting in Jacksonville already. There’s a meeting in Fort Lauderdale next week.
You can read the article from First Coast News, though it does not say much.
A more informative article: here
*Update*
The meeting in Ft. Lauderdale is scheduled for:
JANUARY 8TH from 5:30-7:30pm at Everglades High School
Can anyone make it? A prize to anyone who shows up in pirate regalia and asks – respectfully – if the new standards will be inclusive of the beliefs of Pastafarians.
FELLOW PASTAFARIANS!
Here is my letter to the Florida Board of Education!
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To the Florida Board of Education:
Upon hearing the news of the public hearings to discuss some changes to the science standards in Florida, I have found myself at a crossroads. I do not know if I should be dramatically offended or dramatically overjoyed.
From the knowledge I have gathered, it seems that there is a group of people trying to influence the teaching of “Intelligent Design” into the science curriculum. I am offended because this is an absolute mockery of the scientific method and the scientific process. Science is defined by dictionary.com as the “systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.” Intelligent Design teaches that the world was created by a “Creator.” Let me pose this question upon you. Has any body “observed” this “creator” or found any substantial and verifiable evidence that would assume a “creator”? Has any person found an experiment that we can complete several times to reveal to us any relevant data to conclude that there is a “creator”? No. Based on this basic and simple analysis I would have to immediately discourage the inclusion of Intelligent Design into the science curriculum.
However, I also mentioned that I am dramatically overjoyed. If you do (somehow) actually include “Intelligent Design” into the science curriculum at our public schools, then this is the perfect opportunity for me and the millions of other followers of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to get our chance to distribute our theory of Intelligent Design.
It was your chairwoman, Carol Hilson, who was quoted to saying: “My children need to be exposed to everything, but taught as a theory…”. I could not agree to this more. Her children must certainly be exposed to our theory that the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe 5000 years ago with his all-powerful noodly appendage.
For a background, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a theory backed by MANY in the scientific community and is one of the only (if not only) theories with a wealth of empirical data. This would, by default, make our theory of Intelligent Design the most suitable theory to be discussed to our children, with its extreme backing in the realm of science.
Remember that you cannot discriminate beliefs in this beautiful country of America.
To conclude, I am both excited and severely disappointed at the current state of affairs in the Florida Board of Education. However, I am excited for both sides of the crossroads that you have brought us to.
I sincerely look forward to the teaching of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in our public school system. And in His name, we pray: Ramen.
– Eric W. – Current student in the Miami Dade County Public School System
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arggg, I’ll be in Florida in later February.
You should more formalize the call to action here. You could get a letter writing/ phone calling national campaign going on this. Put the progressive blogs across the nation to work to spread the word. They’ll be getting calls from NYC to SF – think how they’ll love that waste of time! :)
I think we should all go.
I live in England, but if I had a loyal crew I would be more than happy to ‘liberate’ the HMS Victory and sail to Florida picking up supporters on the way.
When we get to the sore I will need some US Pastifarians organise a big fuck off trailer so we can haul the ship onto dry land then tow it with Monster trucks to the meeting.
Then we could all, dressed as pirates of course, swing from ropes through the windows waving our cutlasses wile firing the cannons.
I think that would make a good impression and help raise our profile.
OMFSM! when will people stop trying to push religion on children?
@Eric
Nice letter!
@SS
I may jump into the debate tomorrow
Only half joking here. I think we need the Pastafarian version of the Knights Templar. A group to dress up (if they have the costume) and attend Board of Education meetings to make our views heard. It was just thought though.
CWRU pirate!!!! I just graduated from there last year!!
Just wondering – how many supporters might you pick up in the mid-atlantic?
.
Quite happy to help crew but the idea of loyal crew seems a little alien. Do you really expect we wouldn’t mutiny on route?