Kansas Board of Education Creationist Willard to head NASBE

Remember Ken Willard? Sure you do. He was one of the creationists on the Kansas State Board of Education who once again provided "dumbass Kansans" material for Leno and Letterman.

He, along with the creationist majority on the former Kansas Board of Education, approved public school science standards written by a rebel faction of Young-Earth Creationist/"intelligent design" proponents on the science standards writing committee -- and ignored the recommended standards written by the majority.

Well, it seems our Ken-doll of the Religious Right is headed for big things: he is about to be elected by default to the position of President of the National Association of State Boards of Education . The deadline for new nominations had passed by the time the current President resigned, so Willard has no challengers. In the following story, Ken-Baby says he won't be involved with the evolution issue. As well he shouldn't, because his science knowledge is approximately that of your average chipmunk. But just imagine how he could control the agenda of the NASBE. You don't think an insurance salesman knows how to manipulate?

Science advocates contest Willard's national nomination
By Sarah Kessinger
Harris News Service

TOPEKA - Science advocates are urging write-in candidates to contest Kansas state school board member Ken Willard in this summer's election for president of the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Opponents express concern for Willard's push for the teaching of intelligent design in Kansas public schools and his backing of past Kansas Education Commissioner Bob Corkins, an anti-tax lobbyist who lacked professional education experience.

But current NASBE president, Brad Bryant of Atlanta, said the group's board hasn't discussed the issue of evolution vs. intelligent design up to now and he doesn't expect Willard to bring it up.

Willard says he won't.

"As far as I'm concerned it's a non-story," Willard said Wednesday. "Evolution is not on NASBE's agenda, never has been and as far as I'm concerned never will be."

Willard said it was only "evolutionists" who raised the issue in a recent New York Times article on his candidacy.

"They can't abide dissent, as far as I'm concerned, even though their patron saint Darwin had some doubts about evolutionary theory."

Oskaloosa teacher Jack Krebs, president of Kansas Citizens for Science, said NASBE members should be made aware of Willard's record in Kansas.

"They should know that he was a vocal leader and really stood for some anti-education initiatives," Krebs said. "He and the board both didn't follow policies and supported creationism in science standards and didn't listen to the experts and I think that shows a disregard for working within normal channels. That's not a good thing for someone heading a national education organization."

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No kidding. The lesson here is that if there is a slot that would give the office-holder any degree of power, and rational people don't try to fill it, right-wing idiots will. They are the hard-working ants, never resting. Moderates and liberals are the grasshoppers, lounging and regaling each other with their past victories, thinking doodly about tomorrow.

Let's hope the grasshoppers remember to go to the polls in the Republican PRIMARY to vote people like Willard, Abrams, Martin and Bacon OUT before they can get to the general election. We can't afford another embarrassing set of creationist science standards.