Thoughts On Florida's "Anti-Science" Law

Even though I am not a resident of Florida, I am very upset at them right now.

In case word hasn't reached you yet, House Bill 989, better known as the "anti-science bill" has just recently been passed into law. The basic details of the law are as follows: any Florida citizen is now allowed to object to any scientific instruction taught in the state's public education system, regardless if they are a student or have a child as a student. Once a complaint is filed, the school will appoint an officer to oversee the case and make a ruling.

This makes me question the state legislature's reasoning for a number of reasons, the first and foremost being what specifically this was aimed at. It would make complete sense for this to be "discreetly" aimed at topics such as evolution and global warming, as those are admittedly sensitive subjects. But this also makes me wonder about how far-reaching these consequences can be.

Pardon my exaggeration, but allow me to get my point across. The belief that the earth is flat has been gaining some popularity in recent times, so what happens when a parent who believes this realizes their child is being taught that the earth is round and decides to object? It's unlikely at this point that the fact would be removed from the curriculum entirely, but given enough voice... it could happen.

But that's the thing about science. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not, facts are facts. We know that water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. We know gravity is what keeps us tethered to the ground. We know that there are three basic states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.

And to venture into more relevant territory, NASA has provided significant evidence of global warming. And evolution is the theory that species evolve and adapt over time for a higher chance of survival, which highly likely to be true (perhaps not the the extent of primates becoming human, but that's a subject for another day).

So what is it that Florida is trying to prove? That everyone is right when it comes to things they choose not to believe? Call me paranoid, but this could be a step in the wrong direction down a path we don't want to go. You may have your opinions, but I'll be sticking to the facts.