Dr. Reed Missing In Action On ID

It has been one week since the Indianapolis Star first broke the news that House Speaker Brian Bosma and his GOP colleagues intend to introduce legislation during next year’s legislative session to mandate the teaching of intelligent design in our public schools, casting doubt on the science-based theory of evolution. Our state’s top education leader, Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed, has oddly had absolutely nothing to say about the controversial issue. When the Star asked her office to comment on Bosma’s proposed legislation, her office responded that she was not available for comment.

Advance Indiana paid a little visit to her website today in hope that Dr. Reed might have something to say about it there. She offers her opinion there on using state tax money for textbooks—she’s for it. She tells us she’s in favor of mandatory kindergarten attendance. On the possibility of running for a higher office, she says, “Never say never!” She tells us about her working relationship with Governor Frank O’Bannon, who, by the way, died two years ago. And we learn that the last book she read was “The Old Woman Who Named Things.”

Now, that’s all good Dr. Reed. But what we really want to know is what you think about changing our academic standards for science classes to require the teaching of intelligent design alongside the theory of evolution. Or could it be that Dr. Reed is afraid of what Eric Miller and the wackos on the Christian right will do if she states what we already know she thinks about this foolhardy proposal? Miller did manage to find a wacko legislator from Terre Haute to challenge you at the state convention in 1996. It was your good fortune that he was a bit too far to the right for even the mostly conservative delegates at the convention. But maybe you won’t get that lucky next time.

Get a spine lady. It’s your job to lead the state on education matters. Advance Indiana is sure Dr. Reed doesn’t want Indiana to become the laughing stock of the country like Kansas has just chosen to do. Just tell us how you really feel about the subject. The only thing for you to fear is your reluctance to lead when duty calls.