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Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes is “not a scientist.”
A week ago today we broke the news that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Committee on Academic Excellence and Research in Austin was considering the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research‘s request to grant master’s degrees in science education. Well, the panel did indeed give its blessing on Friday, and on January 24, the THEC will meet to give its yay or nay on the degree certification.
Now, the ICR kind of pretends it’s about science: Its Web site insists that the teaching of creationism “enriches” the scientific study of evolution. But the ICR’s kids Web site says, “About 90% of Christian students are in public schools. Their faith is challenged daily by evolution and its arm of humanism.” Still, 20 bucks the ICR has it request granted: When asked by The New York Times‘ Ralph Blumenthal “how the institute could educate students to teach science,” the state’s Commissioner of Higher Education, Raymund A. Paredes, said, simply, “I don’t know. I’m not a scientist.” –Robert Wilonsky
