House Passes Bill With Funds Earmarked For Group Promoting Creationism

Yesterday's New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that the House has passed an sent to the Senate an appropriations bill containing a $100,000 earmark for a group promoting creationism to use "to develop a plan to promote better science education." Louisiana Senator David Vitter placed the earmark in the bill to benefit nonprofit Louisiana Family Forum, a group that has taken the lead in the state in promoting "origins science". The report authorized by the earmark will include an evaluation of a 2006 policy change by the Ouachita Parish School Board that permits teachers to introduce alternative theories to evolution in science classes. Two of Vitter's paid 2004 campaign staff are also employees of the Family Forum.