Out of My Mind

The next big step down the slippery slope that was what could be called the great American experiment in democracy: Kansas' vote this month to, in effect, teach "intelligent design" state-wide and, at the same time, effectively undercut the concepts of science and emiricism. With the bonus of undermining for students the whole concept of, well, learning: why learn anything if facts are irrelevant and all that matters is what you believe.

An aside: I love Woody Allen's line in the midst of his problems with Mia Farrow including dating (and eventually marrying!) one of her daughters: "The heart knows what the heart knows." Beautiful, poetic and true. But it's not a wonderful rule for running an educational system and that's the message from Kansas: you don't have to know anything.

So, thanks, Kansas, for another great step for mankind -- backwards and downwards.