Topic: U.S. Supreme Court

Texas School Board should uphold sound science, reject creationism

November 21, 2008 |

Religious Right Push For Creationist Concepts In Texas Science Standards Could Damage Textbooks Nationwide, Says AU’s Lynn

AU Executive Director Barry Lynn

Americans United for Separation of Church and State on Wednesday urged the Texas State Board of Education to stick to sound science and reject creationist concepts when revising its science standards. The state school board is currently examining the science curriculum, which is reviewed and updated every 10 years. The Seattle-based Discovery Institute and other Religious Right forces are seeking to include loopholes that undermine instruction about evolution and open the door to creationist ideas.

Scientists, teachers, mainstream religious leaders and civil liberties activists want to improve the Texas standards to ensure that the public school classroom does not become a vehicle for religious indoctrination.

“Public schools should educate, not indoctrinate. The Religious Right is exploiting Texas public schools to push a narrow viewpoint and in the process is doing a great disservice to its students, not to mention undermining the mandates of our Constitution.” ~~   Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News | 2 Comments

Comedian George Carlin dead at 71

By Christine Anne Piesyk | June 23, 2008 |

It seems that so many people in the celebrity spotlight of my youth are passing away. Designers, singers, actors, activists, even politicians — they’ve crossed that line that marks the last decades of their lives, and then they are gone.

The often irreverent and always funny George Carlin is the latest name on the list. Carlin died Sunday of heart failure at age 71. From the vantage point of youth, 71 was “old,” distant, beyond comprehension. From the vantage point closer to 60, his 71 years now seems pretty young. I remember Carlin first as “the hippy dippy weatherman” — a tamer version of Carlin in those early days.

In the very early 60s, Carlin’s comedy was tame. Then he fell under the spell of controversial Lenny Bruce, whose ribald and often vulgar comedy inspired and led Carlin in a new groundbreaking direction. Combined with the social unrest of the Vietnam era, Carlin quickly broke new ground using comedy to make his message clear. part of that message was simply to make us think. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Issues | No Comments

Changes to Social Security Disability: Detrimental to people with disabilities?

December 16, 2007 |

For decades, Congress, the United States Supreme Court, and the Social Security Administration have recognized that the informality of SSA’s process is a critical aspect of the program. Creating unreasonable procedural barriers to eligibility is inconsistent with Congress’ intent to keep the process informal and non-adversarial, and with the intent of the program itself, which is to correctly determine eligibility for claimants, awarding benefits if a person meets the statutory requirements.

On October 29, 2007, the Social Security Administration (SSA) published proposed regulations that make significant changes to the SSA appeals process, including hearings before administrative law judges (ALJs). Comments must be submitted on or before December 28, 2007 to the Commissioner of Social Security, P.O. Box 17703, Baltimore MD 21203.
«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues | 1 Comment »