CNN Accused of Fictionalizing Account of Texas School Book Hearing

Agape Press ^ | July 14, 2003 | Jim Brown

[Schnucki]

(AgapePress) - It's being called "Jayson Blair-style reporting." CNN is being accused of fabricating a report about scientific critics of Darwinism who recently testified before the Texas State Board of Education.

At last week's hearing, two representatives from the Seattle-based Discovery Institute urged the board to correct factual errors in biology textbooks and require that books discuss flaws in evolutionary theory. Discovery Institute's Dr. John West says CNN reported the hearing as a battle between "nasty religious fundamentalists" who wanted to inject the Bible into science textbooks and "enlightened scientists" who wanted to keep that from happening.

But West says not one person who testified before the board advocated creationism, Intelligent Design theory, or including religion in biology textbooks.

"This doesn't even rise to the level of journalism. Really, it's sheer fantasy," West says. "They had a story that they wanted to tell, which was religion versus science, and when the facts didn't fit that, they just made it up. This is just atrocious."

West, who is associate director of the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute, says the cable news network described critics of neo-Darwinism who testified at the hearing as people who believe that "the Bible takes precedence over science."

But West says the two Institute fellows who testified simply urged the board of education to use textbooks that cover both the strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory.

"Apparently CNN thinks that when it comes to something that's debated, their viewers should only hear one point of view," he says. "This is blatant bias -- but bias is too meek a word for it. It was invention, it was fantasy -- and they were making up the news."

According to West, after CNN aired their taped report from Texas, it conducted a live one-on-one interview with a liberal law professor who attacked scientists who are raising questions about the biology textbooks.

West is encouraging people to call CNN and producers of the show Live from the Headlines to voice their dissatisfaction with correspondent Ed Lavendera's story.

[Schnucki]

It was invention, it was fantasy -- and they [CNN] were making up the news.

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[Rodney King]

All this is proof of the need for seperaton of church and state. Sell off the schools, give every kid a 10K voucher. Let those of us who want out kids to pray in school go to schools that allow that. Let the parents in NYC send their schools where they sit around an hold hands while discussing soy and hemp as the sole mean's of the planet's survival. Let our schools have rifle teams, let their do what they want.

This is the only solution. The problem, however, is that were I am happy letting the liberals raise their kids as they please, the liberals are not happy letting us raise our kids as we please.

[Rodney King]

Sorry for typos, should read, "let parents in NYC send their kids to schools where they sit around and..."

[Porterville]

I'm not suprised. I see things on CNN everyday that I say to myself..."No they did not"...but then I realize that CNN is so completly discredited that they're nearly in denile.

[Jeff Gordon]

Even CNN has the good sense to not give credibility to ideas from the fringes of reality.

[GUNDEK]

Two lessons to be learned. 1. That CNN has an leftward leaning agenda that they will promote with outrite falicy and 2. Education needs to be privatised.

[Budge]

All this is proof of the need for seperaton of church and state.

You're joking on this point, right?

I say this because most of the rest of your comments in #3 are lucid.

[Rodney King]

Woops, I meant seperation of school and state.

[marktwain]

Woops, I meant seperation of school and state.

Excellent point. The only thing I would quibble about is the 10 K amount. It is probably 2-3 times what is necessary, especially as the education on the net reduces the costs more and more. Already, anyone with a connection to the internet and the ability to read, can get a pretty good education for very little.

[Rodney King]

is probably 2-3 times what is necessary, especially as the education on the net reduces the costs more and more. Already, anyone with a connection to the internet and the ability to read, can get a pretty good education for very little.

Yes, its way too high. But hell, it will still be cheaper in the long run to just give in to them on the amount.

[Physicist]

At last week's hearing, two representatives from the Seattle-based Discovery Institute urged the board to correct factual errors in biology textbooks and require that books discuss flaws in evolutionary theory. Discovery Institute's Dr. John West says CNN reported the hearing as a battle between "nasty religious fundamentalists" who wanted to inject the Bible into science textbooks and "enlightened scientists" who wanted to keep that from happening.

But West says not one person who testified before the board advocated creationism, Intelligent Design theory, or including religion in biology textbooks.

Care to say a few words about what the Discovery Institute really advocates?

[Physicist]

Stalking Horse bump.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

crevo city

[ladylib]

Parents, students, and teachers would be a lot happier if this could be done.

[ThinkPlease]

Eearly morning placemarker.

[BIGZ]

CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF:

Where is the separation?

[jlogajan]

Normally if someone says CNN lied, I assume it is likely the case. But in this case it involves the notorious advocates of Intelligent Design who's whole movement is covered by a big lie. They pretend to be "scientific" but they are just dishonest creationists.

[PatrickHenry]

PING. [This ping list is for the evolution side of evolution threads, and sometimes for other science topics. FReepmail me to be added or dropped.]

[PatrickHenry]

Having pinged everyone, I want to add that this thread is a companion to this other one:
Biology textbook hearings prompt science disputes [Texas]