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| SPONSOR: | Adair | DATE TYPED: | 02-08-00 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Study Creation Theory | SB | SJM 47 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Baca | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY00 | FY01 | FY00 | FY01 | ||
| NFI | |||||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC files, State Department of Education (SDE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Memorial 47 requests that the State Board of Education (SBE) allow the use of material in the class for the study of creation theory.
Significant Issues
The New Mexico Science Content Standards adopted by the SBE require that the theory of biological evolution be taught. Following many highly publicized discussions, SBE voted not to include creation theory in the content standards.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
According to the SDE analysis, "the U.S. Supreme Court has established that 'creation science' may not be taught in the public schools." Several cases are cited to support the statement and two are cited here: Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987) and McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education, 529 F. Supp. 1255 (1982).
LB/gm