State Board of Education: Vote the Whole Ballot

Hey, Kansans, when you vote this November don't quit too soon. The most important vote you cast could be close to the very end of the ballot. Five members of the Kansas State Board of Education (SBOE) will be elected on Tuesday.

And, if you have any doubts about what is at stake read the candidate survey from Kansas Citizens for Science

Whether the SBOE will be again be controlled by pro-science moderates or be deadlocked and at risk of swinging back into control of anti-science, anti-public education extremists is at stake. And, it is not just science standards that are at risk. When the conservative extremists were last in control of the SBOE, they hired an ideologue with no educational experience and no experience managing large institutions as Education Commissioner at a $140,000 salary.

Only one incumbent, the anti-science, radical anti-fundamentalist Kathy Martin is running for re-election. Fortunately, voters in the 6th District have a very solid alternative--Chris Renner.

But for the other four races, voters may have a harder time knowing the score. Just as they did when originally gaining control of the SBOE, anti-science candidates seem to prefer stealth and code words.

Fortunately, there are ways to find out who is anti-science. The KNEA has made endorsements (2nd--Sue Storm; 4th Carolyn Campbell, 6th Chris Renner, and 8th Walt Chappell.) The anti-science "Free Academic Inquiry and Research Committee which bills itself a "Kansas Republican Assembly PAC" has endorsed the other candidates in the 4th, 6th, and 8th races.

In the 10th District, both Republican David Dennis and Democrat Paul Casanova appear to be pro-science.

Amazing, Revealing Answers in KCS Survey

The candidate survey from the Kansas Citizens for Science deserves the exclamations seen in old-time movie trailers--"amazing" "revealing" "bizarre." The very first question from KCS asked

which of the following organizations would you trust to inform your decision-making in regards to science? Check all that apply.

KCS also asked whether they favored revisions to the state science standards.

Here's how the bad guys answered those questions.

Kathy Martin

would trust The Intelligent Design Network Discovery Institute, Answers in Genesis, and the The Institute for Creation Research ( in addition to mainstream science organizations).

Dennis Hedke

would also trust The Intelligent Design Network Discovery Institute, Answers in Genesis, and the The Institute for Creation Research ( in addition to mainstream science organizations).

He answers

I have stated publicly and openly that the theory of evolution should be scrutinized along with any other theory that makes its way to the domain of scientific review. I can see no logic in attempting to isolate and protect this theory against the broad range of theories in science, economics, sociology, etc.

Hedke is also a global warming denialist, ally of Americans for Prosperity, and a voucher advocate.

Robert Meissner

Declined to answer the Kansas Citizens for Science survey. That tells you something, as does his 2004 support for "alternative theories" and 2008 contributions from FAIR.

f the SBOE races haven't gotten the media attention they deserve, don't blame the moderate candidates. They all seem to be running vigorous campaigns. In Wichita, for example, Walt Chappell is running radio and TV commercials. Here's his TV spot