A two-page document known as Act No. 473 is the cause of heated controversy throughout the state. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved new rules last Thursday on 2008 legislation allowing science teachers to discuss and challenge controversial issues, including global warming, the origins of life and the Charles Darwin theory of evolution.The Louisiana Science Education Act, signed by Gov. Bobby Jindal on June 25, also gives science teachers the green light to bring in outside materials including textbooks not part of the curriculum. But the idea of teachers challenging evolution and teaching other theories has some groups nervous, such as the American Civil Liberties Union. “We are very concerned about this law, as a way to sneak religion into the classroom,” said Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman. No violations of the First Amendment will occur if teachers follow the guidelines set in the legislation, Esman said. But the ACLU is watching for any signs of educators teaching creation, because the act was endorsed by the Louisiana Family Forum, a non-profit Christian organization. Louisiana Family Forum helped write the document and endorsed the bill before it was brought to the House of Representatives. “We put the safe-guards in place to say no religion can be advanced,” said Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum executive director. Mills said the act was not meant to advance religion but to use the facts to prove inaccuracies in science. The State Senate unanimously passed the act, which said the law will not “promote any religious doctrine” or “promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.” In the past, teachers have been afraid to approach the subject, Mills said. Teachers now have confidence to discuss controversial issues in the classroom with the new law. The supplemented textbooks teachers can bring in the classroom must meet the same standards as other textbooks, Mills said. Christopher Gregg, biological sciences professor, said it’s detrimental to science when outside topics are introduced.The idea of intelligent design is “based on the idea that universe and life is so complex it couldn’t have come together without some designer,” Gregg said. “The problem with that idea is there is no way to test what that is.” Moshe Cohen, Hillel interim program director, said science and religion are two separate issues that should not be mixed together. “I don’t think evolution challenges why we are here,” Cohen said. Steve Pollock, biological sciences professor, said creationism does not belong in science textbooks. “Authentic scientific inquiry is based on the things that can be studied and tested.” Pollock said in an e-mail.  Mills said the act will not allow educators to teach religion in the classroom but instead, have open discussions about evolution and present new discoveries. The school districts can now decide what materials are allowed in the classroom, he said. ——Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]