An open letter to PZ Myers.

My dear PZ:

I notice that you are, once again, smacking the Discovery Institute upside the head, pointing out how they personally were responsible for putting the kibosh on some sort of creationist-philosophy-design course in California. Yes, yes, the irony is delightful -- watching DI have to stamp out design courses to avoid any further embarrassment. But I fear you're overlooking a golden opportunity to really let these DI folks hang themselves, once and for all.

Rather than fighting them at every step, why not openly invite them to submit some ID-based curriculum for inclusion in a high-school science class? No, seriously. I mean, if the DI has such hard-assed ideas about what doesn't belong in the classroom, why not give them the total freedom to propose what does belong?

To make sure things don't get out of hand, I propose that you set this up with your local school board, so that you can be available on a moment's notice. Then have your school board reps contact the DI, and flat-out ask them for some official curriculum to incorporate into biology class.

Be firm that this "curriculum" should include things like class notes, references, sample assignments, and test material. In addition, be adamant that you're sincerely interested in "teaching the controversy," so you want the DI to (naturally) supply references to criticisms of ID as well. After all, that's only fair, no?

Given that the DI folks are constantly whining about how oppressed they are, how could they possibly resist the invitation to submit curriculum of their own design? Come on, PZ. This would be just too much fun for words.

Yours cynically,
CC