"Teacher Protection" Bill Rises from Primordial Swamp

Some Capitol cynics thought Rep. Tom Anderson's bill to protect science teachers who teach "controversial topics" -- a bill embraced by those who want to see creationism or intelligent design taught in public schools -- is on the House Education's agenda for Friday.

Anderson told me earlier this month that his bill was about protecting teachers, not promoting creationism. He told Dan Boyd of the Albuquerque Journal this week that his bill has been "hijacked" by creationists.

The Intelligent Design Network, the leading anti-Darwin group in the state bought a full-page ad in support of the bill in the Journal. The ad ran Monday.

Bill opponents, such as New Mexicans for Science and Reason, point out that the bill has similarties to "model legislation" proposed by a Seattle-based anti-evolution think tank. Anderson denies that's where his bill came from. NMSR did a comparison between the "model" bill and HB 302.

The Education Committee meets Friday at 8 a.m. It's the sixth item on the agenda, so there's a chance it could get held over until next week.

Meanwhile, here's what Andre Williams thinks: