Jake at Page One KY opposes objective discussion, critical thinking

Jake at Page One Kentucky has come out in opposition to a bill calling for "critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories" on the grounds that doing this things would "keep Kentucky’s kids dumber than rocks, once again, by denying evolution."

This is the language in a bill introduced in the Kentucky General Assembly by State Rep. Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown), HB 169.

Apparently, Jake thinks that evolution would somehow suffer from the practice of critical thinking skills, logical analysis and objective discussion. We thought he had a higher view of evolution than that.

Alas, the things you have to give up in modern scientism.

The National Center for Science Ignora ..., er, I mean Education (NCSE), which is also on record as opposing critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion, is once again ringing the alarm bells. But we are not surprised. This is, after all, the organization that employs Josh Rosenau, whose opposition to important mental skills is well documented.

Is the performance of Jefferson County schools acceptable?

During the debate today over the "Neighborhood Schools Act," defenders of forced busing in Louisville complained that they just had not had enough time to study the issue and couldn't vote for something whose ramifications were uncertain. Well, forget about the ramifications of the bill, let's look at what has happened in Jefferson County as a result of the current policies--where students are placed on school buses sometimes for hours in order to salve the consciences of the champions of diversity.

These are people who apparently think that reducing the amount of time students have for school and family is good for them. So let's take a look at what has happened to Jefferson County Schools over the last few years.

In David Williams testimony, he pointed to numbers provided by the State Department of Education showing that the Combined Reading and Math Proficiency of Jefferson Count Schools has been steadily decreasing in relation to the state's other school districts (See graph above).

Here are some other interesting statistics:

• 12 out of 20 of persistently low achieving schools in Kentucky are in the Jefferson County School District.
• 23 out of the lowest achieve 50 schools in Kentucky are in Jefferson County.
• African American students proficient in reading and math is 42% which ranks 168 out of 174 districts.
• Jefferson County ranks 168th out of 174 districts in African American students scoring proficient on reading and math.
• Jefferson County ranks 171st out of 174 districts in free and reduced lunch scoring proficient on reading and math.
• Jefferson County ranks 17nd out of 174 districts in English Proficient students scoring proficient on reading and math.
• Jefferson County ranks 164th out of 174 districts in students with disabilities scoring proficient on reading and math.
• Jefferson County has the lowest graduation rate of all districts in Kentucky at 71.17%.

The attitude among those who defend the district and its policies is, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But if this is broke, then what constitutes broke?