Kentucky Science Standards Make Wonkette "Nice Time!"

Seriously, you have to be fucking amazing to make Wonkette's rare and precious "Nice Time" post, but Kentucky did it!

But this is U.S. Amercia in 2013, so of course it’s actually kind of a big deal that a state in the Bible Belt will continue teaching evolution and require students to have an understanding of how science works. And so, three cheers, Kentucky Board of Education! Even in the face of an organized effort to strip science out of the science curriculum, you did your job.

Wonkette cites WFPL, which beat both the Courier and the Herald to the news.

Kentucky education officials' consideration of Next Generation Science Standards gained national attention last month when The Huffington Post and others picked up on criticism of evolution and climate change during a public hearings on the matter.

Here's the latest:

The Kentucky Board of Education on Thursday rejected that public opposition and approved a final report from the education department on the new science standards.

Some people were concerned about teaching students evolution. But state officials says evolution is already included in the current set of standards. Further, in the statement of consideration approved Thursday, officials say there’s enough scientific research supporting evolution.

Officials also rejected claims that creationism should be included and that climate change should be removed.

Again, they cite the research. (Click here to read the SOC report).

The state received thousands of responses during the public comment period. A petition with 3,700 names was signed in support of the standards, and Kentucky education officials include several scientific organizations that have shown their support. At the same time, the state received over one-hundred identical emails that opposed inclusion of evolution and characterized it as a theory and not a fact.

A Statement of Consideration is what the board approved on Thursday. It's the formal document that includes recommendations for any changes to the standards based off public comments.

The regulation now heads to Kentucky’s Administrative Regulation Review Committee. If approved in the Kentucky General Assembly, the new standards would go into effect during the 2014-2015 school year.

Oh, shit we're fucked. That would be the same General Assembly that just four months ago vote to allow freakazoids to violate any law they wanted as long as they claimed their invisible sky wizard told them to.

The new science standards are not long for this world.