Way to go, Kansas.

Just saw an article on MSNBC that says that the Kansas Board of Education has approved new public school science standards. Not only that, but they've rewritten the definition of science as it applies to Kansas, so it's no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena. The most recent vote marks the third time in six years the board has rewritten standards using evolution as their central issue.

Look, I understand there are people who don't believe in evolution, or don't believe that evolution explains everything -- all the complexities of our universe, where we all came from, all that stuff. I happen to believe fully in evolution, but I also believe in a supreme Creator, who gave the flick of the wrist, as it were, to start the top of evolution spinning on the table of Life as we know it.

So, some might argue that I believe in intelligent design. I'm not sure -- maybe I do, maybe I don't. It's not really important to me, semantically. What I know I don't believe is that anything beyond evolution or otherwise established scientific theory should be taught in public school science classes. Science is the study of hypotheses and theories. Science is experiments and results and measurable proof or indications. Science is patterns, science is observable. Not only that, but science is about the quest to DISPROVE things in order to more fully understand the natural world. Supporters of intelligent design call it a "theory," which is entirely false, at least per the scientific definition. A theory is something that is observable, something that is predictive, logical, testable and has never been falsified. Intelligent design is neither predictive, observable nor testable. Therefore it is not a theory. Therefore it has no place in science class.

Amen.