Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 16:42:23 -0600 (CST) From: "Wesley R. Elsberry" Message-Id: <200103232242.f2NMgNF10590@inia.cls.org> To: jargue@arkleg.state.ar.us, bakerg@arkleg.state.ar.us, jbrown@arkleg.state.ar.us, bryless@arkleg.state.ar.us, jcritcher@arkleg.state.ar.us, meverett@arkleg.state.ar.us, bgullett@arkleg.state.ar.us, jhill@arkleg.state.ar.us, ghunter@arkleg.state.ar.us, pmalone@arkleg.state.ar.us, Jriggs@arkleg.state.ar.us, simesa@arkleg.state.ar.us, trustys@arkleg.state.ar.us, dwebb@arkleg.state.ar.us, twooldridge@arkleg.state.ar.us Subject: Arkansas House Bill 2548: Please vote No Cc: welsberr I am a graduate student at Texas A&M University in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. I have long had an interest in the evolution/creation controversy, and because of this interest became aware of Representative Jim Holt's bill, labeled House Bill 2548. I hope that you will oppose this bill if or when it comes before the Arkansas Senate. It is unnecessary, because textbook selection committees already value accuracy in making selections and other public agencies mentioned also value accuracy. It is mischievous, because it is so broad as to provide a lever for obstructionists of all sorts to interfere in necessary processes of education and information dispersal. It is disingenuous, because in attempting to disguise its specific anti-evolutionary agenda, it has adopted the overly broad language concerning its scope mentioned above. That anti-evolution is specifically its aim is clear from the fifteen examples of Section 1 (d)(3), which are drawn (in some cases verbatim) from anti-evolutionary literature. At least some of the text in HB2548 also appears in a cartoon tract which has been available for decades. I have co-authored a web page which gives the links to anti-evolutionary sources that have either the same text or closely similar text to sections of HB2548: . The desire to improve the accuracy of educational and instructional materials is a noble one. HB2548 is the wrong way to approach the problem. In implementation, I believe that its effects will include a number of unforeseen and unwanted consequences, and that in general it will be used to dilute or confuse science instruction. Please vote "No" if this legislation is brought to a vote in the Arkansas Senate. Wesley Wesley R. Elsberry, Student in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Tx A&M U. Visit the Online Zoologists page at and the CNS BBS archive site at "procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday" - archy