Alyssa

LA Senate Bill 561 The Academic Freedom Bill

In a 2008 regular session of the Louisiana state legislature, Senator Nevers wrote a bill, for teachers, providing for the Louisiana Academic freedom Act. The bill was an act to open the discussion of certain limitations and prohibitions of specific scientific evidence. The Louisiana Board of Education feels that the “Louisiana Science Framework” should be properly demonstrated, that logical and critical thinking should be used to analyze and construct explanations, evidence and alternative thoughts in the process of scientific inquiry. The bill states that school governing authorities are, “to help students develop critical thinking skills, and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about controversial issues”. Section E of the bill protects the teaching of scientific information. It states that the bill is not to promote religion or non religion, or discrimination for or against a subject. The bill states that by the 2008-2009 school year the provisions of this bill will need to be distributed by the state superintendent of schools to all school authorities.