I came to this University, like many before me, to establish an identity. On Sept. 1, my efforts were partially undermined. The student body’s intellect was grievously soiled through a Daily Reveille column questioning the veracity of evolution.
“Believing in evolution does not make you scientific,” criticized Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman for announcing his acceptance of evolution.
I am not writing to apologize for the column, although I am embarrassed by its content. It is also not my intention to explain the tenets of evolution, nor define what a scientific theory actually is. This is tempting, and I understand that many still attempt to do it out of frustration. On the other hand, the stale discourse surrounding evolution needs to move on, as the mountains of evidence and research papers speak for themselves.
My only goal is to send another message — the opposite of the one outlined in another column two weeks ago.
The South has long been marginalized as a culturally-backwards region of the country that is not accepting of modern science. Deserved or not, many hold tightly to this prejudice without knowing much about Southerners. Unfortunately, the columnist in question may have solidified this stereotype for thousands of readers across the country, as Web analytics show his column may be the most widely -read piece of writing in the recent history of our paper. In fact, his column might be one of the only impressions some have of this University.
Reposted and thoroughly dissected by several bloggers, including semi-famous University of Minnesota Morris biology professor PZ Myers, the column received hundreds of comments across several websites.
While most of the commenters’ points were better thought-out than the average YouTube diatribe, they focused solely on the columnist in question. What I want to convey is that this columnist was not acting upon rogue sentiments — he represents the viewpoints of a sizable population here in Louisiana, a group of individuals that would like to have the teaching of evolution expelled from curricula across the state.
In 2001, avid creationist supporter and Republican presidential candidate, Senator Rick Santorum, attempted to pass an amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act defining evolution as a “controversial science” that should be open to criticism in the science classroom. Although it floundered in the U.S. Senate, several other states, like Alabama and Florida, unsuccessfully attempted to pass similar bills in their respective educational systems.
However, to the embarrassment of many, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law the Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA) in 2008. The act draws much of its wording from Santorum’s 2001 amendment and specifically focuses on the “controversial nature” of partisan topics, such as evolution, the origin of life, global warming and cloning. Currently, Louisiana is the only state with such a law.
Allowing science teachers the use of supplementary theories to critique evolution sounds promising, but we need to understand that no such alternatives exist within the limits of science. Concepts like creationism and intelligent design are purely theological. The belief that they can replace science is asinine.
Yes, simply accepting that evolution is a valid theory does not make you scientific, but to assert that the idea of evolution can be replaced with non-testable, non-peer-reviewed alternatives is unscientific and grossly anti-intellectual.
As a Christian, I have no problem with religious courses accrediting evolution to a supreme being, but teaching these ideas in our science classrooms only serves to perpetuate the cycle of confusion and animosity that surrounds evolution and science in general.
To say we are gravely affected by the LSEA is an understatement. According to Louisiana Senator Karen Carter Peterson, our state has effectively started to stifle the creation of science and technology jobs by blacklisting itself in the science community. For example, the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology refused to hold its 2011 conference in New Orleans because of the LSEA.
If we allow ourselves to be viewed in this manner, it is not hard to imagine that our ability to attract intelligent students and researchers will be marred, which sours our chances of drawing grant money to the state.
If Louisiana wishes to maintain cutting-edge, revenue-generating science and technology establishments, which includes the University, we can no longer maintain widespread archaic views on topics such as evolution.
Political action committees that protect our education interests, such as Florida’s “Citizens for Science,” need to be formed to ensure that Louisiana reverses this downward spiral.
Otherwise, this state may experience major economic stagnation in the upcoming decades.
 
Chris Freyder is a 21-year-old biological sciences senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_Cfreyder.
 
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Contact Chris Freyder at [email protected]