Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has resolutely conjured up the courage to do absolutely nothing on the creationism bill passed by the state legislature, lamely allowing it to become law without his signature or his veto in a cowardly attempt to have it both ways.
“I have reviewed the final language of HB 368/SB 893 and assessed the legislation’s impact. I have also evaluated the concerns that have been raised by the bill. I do not believe that this legislation changes the scientific standards that are taught in our schools or the curriculum that is used by our teachers. However, I also don’t believe that it accomplishes anything that isn’t already acceptable in our schools.
“The bill received strong bipartisan support, passing the House and Senate by a three-to-one margin, but good legislation should bring clarity and not confusion. My concern is that this bill has not met this objective. For that reason, I will not sign the bill but will allow it to become law without my signature.”
Clearly he has the courage of no convictions at all. This law will inevitably lead to a second Scopes Trial in Tennessee as teachers and school boards take the invitation to teach the “scientific weaknesses” of evolution to introduce creationism into science classrooms. It’s the Dover trap all over again, and local school districts will pay a very high price for it.
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brianwood
April 13, 2012 at 10:38 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Tennessee voters who elected these people are, almost tautologically, getting what they want and deserve. Lawyers should get paid royally for having to deal with such stupid yahoos.
anandine
April 13, 2012 at 10:40 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
brianwood, as Mencken said, Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it, good and hard.
slc1
April 13, 2012 at 10:42 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
In fairness to the governor, his veto would have accomplished nothing as only a majority vote is required to override a veto in Tennessee and the bill passed by wide margins in both houses.
Alverant
April 13, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m concerned about what would happen if a science teacher critized creationism in the class room. (for example said, “Now that we looked at the ‘issues’ with evolution and addressed them, now lets analyze creationism with the same level of scrutiny.”) My guess is there would be an uproar about “bashing and/or persecuting” christianity and violating the first ammendment because it would be the state taking a position on religion.
troll
April 13, 2012 at 10:47 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@3: Seriously? Then why even bother granting a governor veto power in the first place, if the same threshold is required to override a veto as to pass the bill in the first place?
Zinc Avenger
April 13, 2012 at 10:48 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So he says he doesn’t believe that this bill was passed for any reason whatsoever? That this bill which was written to allow the teaching of creationism won’t result in the teaching of creationism?
unbound
April 13, 2012 at 10:49 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@slc1 – In all fairness to the governor, he could have grown a spine and done the right thing. But he didn’t…
Trebuchet
April 13, 2012 at 11:00 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Haslam’s attempt to please all the people all the time will end up pleasing nobody. He’s shot himself in the pseudopod.
Chiroptera
April 13, 2012 at 11:01 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
troll, #5: Then why even bother granting a governor veto power in the first place, if the same threshold is required to override a veto as to pass the bill in the first place?
It slows down the legislative process to give people more time to think through the issues in case the bill was passed during the heat of temporary passion. Not necessarily a bad thing; think about the House of Lords in the UK.
As someone who thinks giving the executive authority veto legislation is a bad idea to begin with, this may be a good compromise.
Gregory in Seattle
April 13, 2012 at 11:03 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
What if a teacher included Muslim creationism, Hindu creationism, Roman pagan creationism and Wiccan creationism in an effort to provide balance to the curriculum?
fifthdentist
April 13, 2012 at 11:08 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Gregory, don’t forget the Hopi’s great spider mother creation story.
Alverant
April 13, 2012 at 11:22 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
#10-11
Exactly. A teacher who mentioned any creation story other than the christian version would likely be fired. This is just another attempt at dominionists trying to get special treatment by the government.
Skip White
April 13, 2012 at 11:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Interestingly, when I was in 10th grade, our social studies course was anthropology. When we discussed evolution/creation, we had a lesson on evolution first, then each had to choose a different culture or religion’s creation story and write a report on it. In fact, if I recall, we weren’t allowed to use the Genesis version, as it was assumed being from a small town, most people were already familiar with that story. Oddly enough, I had biology I that year, and I don’t recall discussing evolution at all.
slc1
April 13, 2012 at 11:58 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Re troll @ #5
Mr. troll will have to address that question to the folks who wrote the Tennessee constitution. In most states and at the federal level, it requires a 2/3 vote to override a veto.
dingojack
April 13, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
SLC – Out of interest, in TN is it:
A) “…only a majority vote is required to override a veto in Tennessee”
OR
B) “… it requires a 2/3 vote to override a veto”?
Dingo
julietdefarge
April 13, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
if I were a TN science teacher, I’d have the kids build models of the flat, 4-cornered earth with the solid firmament above it. We could discuss why all the water didn’t just run off the edges of the earth when the windows of heaven were opened. We could try to breed striped mice. It’d be great fun.
iknklast
April 13, 2012 at 12:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“We could try to breed striped mice. It’d be great fun.”
It’d be even more fun if you tried to breed striped mice by having them look at a striped stick while they were breeding, like Jacob did in the bible when he wanted to cheat Laban out of his flocks.
dingojack
April 13, 2012 at 12:48 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“TN Governor Impales Himself on Creationist Fence Pole“.
I wonder if TN can trust a Governor who has a sodomy-based political position?
Dingo
Trebuchet
April 13, 2012 at 12:50 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@#15, Dingojack:
It’s both. It’s a simple majority in Tennessee, but 2/3 in most other states and at the federal level.
dingojack
April 13, 2012 at 12:56 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Trebuchet – Thanks. Any idea why it’s not a super-majority as it is in most other places?
Dingo
Trebuchet
April 13, 2012 at 2:51 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Nope. Probably the framers of the TN constitution wanted to limit the power of the governor.
subbie
April 13, 2012 at 4:34 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My bride, who was born and reared in Tennessee (and we all know how painful THAT can be), tells me that in days of yore, the governor was considered the head of his party and it was very unusual for someone from the same party to vote to override a veto. I’m not sure that that’s what the framers of the TN constitution had in mind, but until recently, that’s how it in fact worked. Apparently now it’s expected to pander to the booboisie instead of toeing the party line. I’ll leave it to the reader to conclude whether this is an improvement or not.
Emu Sam
April 13, 2012 at 6:49 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Any Tennessee parent interested in saving their school district money might consider sending their offspring to school in an evolution or ACLU t-shirt. No shame to those who feel the local atmosphere is likely to result in bullying, and choose not to give that warning in favor of remaining anonymous.