Don't Say Darwin? Tennessee Has a New Idea

The influence of Tennessee lawmakers over what is said in classrooms could be extended if Gov. Bill Haslam decides to sign a bill that protects science teachers who want to offer instruction on creationism.

Legislators there have also proposed a rule that bars teachers and school officials from making any mention of homosexuality until ninth grade, a law that has come to be known as the "don't say gay" bill. Haslam has said repeatedly that he wishes fellow Republicans would move on and skip consideration of the "don't say gay" bill. But in the case of the creationism bill, it's already been passed. And Haslam has until the end of Tuesday to issue a veto or not.

It isn't exactly a "don't say Darwin" bill. A column on the front page of the Health and Science section of today's Philadelphia Inquirer points out the careful language legislators proposed.

An official summary of the bill bars "any teacher in a public school system of this state from helping students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught, such as evolution and global warming."

In other words, no teacher can be punished for promoting discussion of "intelligent design" or for trying to shoot holes in global warming, which presidential candidate Rick Santorum has called a "hoax."

Haslam hasn't indicated for certain what he'll do, but the decision might provide a clue as to how he would handle passage of a "don't say gay" bill should it ever reach his desk. That bill passed the state Senate last year, but the House ran out of time and has since picked it back up in this session.

Haslam seemed to be leaning toward signing the bill, according to a report by the Chattanooga Times Free Press in which he pointed out that the creationism bill, which opponents call the "monkey bill," passed both chambers with a significant majority. It passed through the Senate on a 25-8 vote, closely mirroring the 20-10 margin the "don't say gay" bill had when it passed. The House voted in favor of the "monkey bill" on a 72-23 vote.