Acceptance of Science Bill [Failed]

[Ebowed]

Acceptance of Science Bill

Section 1: Abstinence
No funds from the federal government shall go towards any sex education curriculum that promotes any of the following beliefs as true or scientifically legitimate:
1.) the process of terminating a pregnancy is sinful, wrong, or murderous.
2.) the trait of homosexuality or bisexuality is an entirely conscious choice and/or is strange, unnatural, or sinful.
3.) the participation in homosexual sex acts is sinful, wrong, or unnatural.
4.) the proper use of contraceptive devices including but not limited to condoms is grossly ineffective in preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
5.) engaging in sexual activity before marriage with proper precautions is immoral, dangerous, or sinful.
6.) males and females should limit themselves to careers which have historically been associated with masculine and feminine roles, respectively.

Section 2: Biology
No funds from the federal government shall go towards any scientific education curriculum that promotes any of the following beliefs as true or scientifically legitimate:
1.) the status of biological evolution as a scientific theory is somehow different or set apart from that of other scientific theories such as gravity or relativity.
2.) fossil evidence for biological macroevolution is largely inaccurate or misinterpreted by mainstream scientists, or presents a picture that contradicts with biological evolutionary theory.
3.) radioactive carbon dating is always inaccurate or scientifically unreliable.
4.) the age of the earth is less than ten thousand years.
5.) the origins of the universe and of life on earth are scientifically explained by religious texts or creeds.
6.) the complexity of certain types of life on earth are of such a magnitude that they present valid evidence for that of a higher power or "intelligent designer."
7.) the trait of homosexual behavior does not exist within the animal kingdom outside of humans.
8.) creation theories are valid within the scientific method.
9.) the Second Law of Thermodynamics disproves the Big Bang.


Sponsor: The President pro tempore

[Ebowed]

I propose that sections 1 and 2 be amended to replace "true or scientifically legitimate" with "based on scientific evidence".  A number of these topics are touched upon in some religious beliefs and I want to avoid any implication that the government of Atlasia is determining the correctness of any religious belief.

That seems fair enough.

I offer an amendment that Section 1 be removed from this bill.

Why?

[Ebowed]

We are voting on the proposal that '...that sections 1 and 2 be amended to replace "true or scientifically legitimate" with "based on scientific evidence"


Aye

[Ebowed]

The amendment passes.

[Ebowed]

We're voting on an amendment to remove Section 1 from the bill.


Nay, abstinence-only education is dangerous.

[Ebowed]

I'd like some clarification of what this bill would actually do. Would it require public schools that receive direct federal funding to change their curricula?

If those schools wanted to continue receiving any funding in those specific departments, yes.

[Ebowed]

I'd like some clarification of what this bill would actually do. Would it require public schools that receive direct federal funding to change their curricula?

If those schools wanted to continue receiving any funding in those specific departments, yes.

How would this affect the Southeast's voucher program?

If the Southeast has any schools with biology and/or sex ed courses which are funded by the federal government, they will be required to modify the courses or forgo funding.

If not, the program would be unaffected.

[Ebowed]

The amendment fails.

[Ebowed]

We are voting to strike the text of the bill and replace it with "Evolution and Creationism should be taught side by side"


Nay

[Ebowed]

The amendment failed.

[Ebowed]

Nay to all but the last two, Aye on the last two

[Ebowed]

The last two amendments have passed.  Voting still open on the others.

[Ebowed]

Voting has expired.

Amendment 1 ties with 4 ayes, 4 nays, and 1 abstention.
Amendment 2 passes with 5 ayes and 4 nays
Amendment 3 fails with 4 ayes and 5 nays
Amendment 4 ties with 4 ayes, 4 nays, and 1 abstention
Amendment 5 fails with 4 ayes and 5 nays
Amendment 6 passes with 5 ayes and 4 nays
(As stated earlier):
Amendment 7 passes with 8 ayes
Amendment 8 passes with 8 ayes

[Ebowed]

I motion to add the following clause to Section 1.

"The willful surgical or medical termination of a pregnancy causes, or is in any way linked to, the development of breast cancer."

Regardless of one's opinions on abortion, the proposed link between it and breast cancer has been thoroughly debunked by scientists with no political agenda and thus it should not be mentioned in human sexuality courses.

[Ebowed]

We are voting on the following amendments:

Everything in Section 1 after "No funds from the federal government shall go towards any sex education curriculum" shall be removed from this bill.

Everything in Section 2 after "No funds from the federal government shall go towards any scientific education curriculum" shall be removed from this bill.

Nay to both.  If we are going to gut education funding, why would we do it by targeting specific types of education, especially science?

[Ebowed]

Haha, people are voting to defund all sex education cirriculums.  Would you prefer that sex is never mentioned in schools?

[Ebowed]

Nay to both

You've really become a socialist.

What's socialist about supporting sex education classes?

[Ebowed]

Haha, people are voting to defund all sex education cirriculums.  Would you prefer that sex is never mentioned in schools?

I see no point to talk about it. I mean we learn enough about it on TV these days, and kids are going to do what they want anyway. Why waste time in school in it?

So they know the risks and how to protect themselves.  What you learn about sex on TV isn't as useful as you seem to think it is.

[Ebowed]

Any attempt to legislate to terminate funding for sex education programmes in schools would be swiftly vetoed.

Why does everything you like have to be federally funded?

People don't support sex education because they "like" it.  Comprehensive sex education is about saving lives, not pushing sex as a fun idea on a reluctant population or whatever you're implying.

[Ebowed]

I still don't see how that jumps to federla funding. Why can't the regions decide?

If he supported this at the regional level, you'd say it should be up to the local school board.

The federal government provides funds for education cirriculums.  This bill is simply placing some new restrictions on what federal dollars can be used to teach.


The amendments fail (with one senator inactive).

[Ebowed]

We are voting on the following amendments:

I motion to add the following clause to Section 1.

"The willful surgical or medical termination of a pregnancy causes, or is in any way linked to, the development of breast cancer."

1. Section 1 Clause 2 is amended by striking "strange, unnatural, or sinful." and replacing with "strange or unnatural."

2. Section 1 Clause 5 is amended by striking "immoral, dangerous, or sinful." and replacing with "dangerous."

Abortion-breast cancer hypothesis Amendment: Aye
Removing references to sin #1 Amendment: Nay
Removing references to sin #2 Amendment: Nay

[Ebowed]

Voting has expired.

With 3 ayes and 5 nays, the first amendment fails.
With 4 ayes and 4 nays, the second and third amendments are tied.

[Ebowed]

3. Smoking marijuana significantly increases the risk of lung cancer.

That's true though.

Is it?  I thought people assumed that only because pot smokers tend to also smoke tobacco, whereas controlled studies had found marijuana was not at fault.

[Ebowed]

We are voting on whether to add the following section.

Section 3: Cannabis
No federal funds shall be directed toward any drug prevention program that disseminates any of the following beliefs, and/or presents them as being established on scientific evidence.
1. Marijuana use fails to alleviate symptoms associated with terminal illness (e.g. cancer).
2. Recreational use of marijuana invariably leads to use of "hard" drugs (the so-called "gateway effect").
3. Smoking marijuana significantly increases the risk of lung cancer.

Aye

[Ebowed]

The amendment passes.