evolution

I was picking through my referral logs this morning, and I noticed someone searched for “wagle KU wichita eagle”. I clicked the link in my logs, and the search revealed this editorial from the Wichita Eagle (which is State Sen. Susan Wagle’s home turf): Veto it, too: Second sex-class proviso as unnecessary as first.

When Gov. Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a proviso that would have yanked funding from a University of Kansas human-sexuality course, that should have been the end of it. Instead, lawmakers took a less-direct shot at the class before they adjourned last week — with a budget proviso requiring state universities to provide the Kansas Board of Regents with their policies on issues such as the use of “obscene” materials, sexual harassment and teaching about pedophilia in sex classes.

On the scale of legislative micromanaging, the second proviso is a vast improvement. But Ms. Sebelius should veto it, too, as another unnecessary attempt by lawmakers to meddle in academic freedom.

Besides, the crusading legislator behind the effort, Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, has more than made her point — that public universities have a duty to taxpayers to rein in or otherwise deal with professors whose teaching tools allegedly include obscenity, pornography and sexual harassment.

Too bad she made that point without using the system in place at state universities to handle complaints from students, parents and taxpayers. Ms. Wagle should have started by asking questions of KU social-welfare professor Dennis Dailey’s supervisors. Instead, she served up her incendiary accusations to the Senate and media, drawing undeserved national and even international attention to the state for its supposed intolerance not only for evolution but also sexual education. What a waste.

I doubt I could have said it better myself.