Alberta proposes new education law

[Yahoo!!]

I wasn't able to figure out where to post this (feel free to move it elsewhere), but I felt this fora was suitable to this law being proposed in my home province of Alberta.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/04/30/cgy-bill-evolution-law-alberta-classes-teachers.html

Currently, the Alberta legislature is looking to make a law that would make it possible for parents to pull their children out of specific classes for "religious" reasons. Now, I don't have an issue with certain classes, like some religious studies, etc. However, this might also fall under the category of evolution and allow students to opt out of learning evolution because it conflicts with their religious values. This also applies to geology, plate tectonics, etc as well because of the same thing. Teachers now have to be careful about what they talk about for their curriculum because it suddenly might "object" to a student's religious thinking.

This is different home schooling option and such because the student still remains in the public school system. I am enraged this is being proposed in my province. It stifles debate and makes it possible for students to graduate from public education without ever having to learn about evolutionary biology. The minister insists this would not be possible under this legislation, but I have a hard time believing this is true.

My question is.. what tactics to deal with these kind of laws are used by scientists in much more conservative states that impose these kind of rules. How does the scientist/educator deal with this kind of stupidity?

[Notta]

Worldtraveler and RBH on this forum have had a lot of experience with this issue (in Kansas and Ohio, respectively). Oolon has had experience with this in the UK. You could send a PM to any of them, asking for advice.

[Cheese]

Alberta is the Texas of the USA. It has perpetually elected Conservative Governments for many decades.
It also has the single highest proportion of Mormons outside of Salt Lake City.

This issue could finally tilt the tide away from Conservatism if the Liberal party actually has gonads.

[dancer_rnb]

Alberta is the Texas of the USA. It has perpetually elected Conservative Governments for many decades.
It also has the single highest proportion of Mormons outside of Salt Lake City.

This issue could finally tilt the tide away from Conservatism if the Liberal party actually has gonads.

This transplant to Texas asks is not Alberta part of Canada?

[Cheese]

Alberta is the Texas of the USA. It has perpetually elected Conservative Governments for many decades.
It also has the single highest proportion of Mormons outside of Salt Lake City.

This issue could finally tilt the tide away from Conservatism if the Liberal party actually has gonads.

This transplant to Texas asks is not Alberta part of Canada?

Yep...Alberta is to Canada as Texas is to the USofA. Hard Right Wing politcs with a deep religious bent.
Alberta actually has two cites that parallel Texas, with Calgary and Edmonton being the same as Dallas and Houston...albeit smaller in population.
Calgary is the white collar money town and Edmonton is the blue collar oil rig Capital of the Province.
The Rickie Mountains nestle off the west side of the Province in one of the most beautiful settings one can see.

[Free in Freeport]

Don't sweat it. Just teach as you always have, and don't worry about idiots choosing to protect their children from knowledge. Stupidity knows no bounds, but it needn't be your problem.