If you live in Mississippi and you care whether or not your kids grow up to be smart and well educated, you should be outraged by House Bill 25, which aims to introduce this disclaimer on all biology textbooks:

The word “theory” has many meanings, including: systematically organized knowledge; abstract reasoning; a speculative idea or plan; or a systematic statement of principles. Scientific theories are based on both observations of the natural world and assumptions about the natural world. They are always subject to change in view of new and confirmed observations.

This textbook discusses evolution, a controversial theory some scientists present as a scientific explanation for the origin of living things. No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life’s origins should be considered a theory.

Evolution refers to the unproven belief that random, undirected forces produced living things. There are many topics with unanswered questions about the origin of life which are not mentioned in your textbook, including: the sudden appearance of the major groups of animals in the fossil record (known as the Cambrian Explosion); the lack of new major groups of other living things appearing in the fossil record; the lack of transitional forms of major groups of plants and animals in the fossil record; and the complete and complex set of instructions for building a living body possessed by all living things.

I always liked this “no one was present when life first appeared on Earth” business. It sounds so ridiculous as a way of discounting evolution I am embarrassed by it. Yeah, no one was around when the planet was formed, but you don’t see many Geology textbooks with a silly disclaimer, do you? Does someone need to be there to witness something in order for it to be considered true?

Also of note is their use of the words ‘unproven belief’ when referring to evolution. I’m not sure what they constitute proof. Apparently, all the millions of fossils, including transitional ones, DNA, and geological evidence all pointing to the soundness of evolution by natural selection is being debated! Yes, gravity is also being debated, as in no one can actually see it. It must therefore be an invention by Newton meant to make us question the notion that God is simply pushing us down on Earth because He ‘wills’ it so! Scientists and their theories, eh?