The Pendulum Swings Back…

“Quick, redraw the map again, Bob, looks like Kansas may’ve finally come to its senses… ”

From CNN, via Raw Story:

TOPEKA, Kansas (AP) — The Kansas Board of Education on Tuesday repealed sex education policies enacted last year, the latest move by the moderate majority to undo efforts by conservatives when they dominated the board.

One rescinded policy recommended that schools stress abstinence until marriage, while the other urged school districts to get parental permission before students could attend human sexuality classes.

On a 6-3 vote, the board replaced the policies with one that recommends “abstinence plus” sex education programs and leaves it up to the state’s 296 school districts to decide whether to get parental permission.

The “abstinence plus” program stresses abstinence before marriage, while also urging schools to give students information about birth control and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

It’s not the first time the Kansas authorities have had to rescind loony legislation put forward by wingnuts:

In February, the board repealed science standards backed by social conservatives and switched to ones that treat evolution as well-supported by research. The standards, which take effect next school year, are used to develop tests to measure how well students learn science.

The old standards, endorsed by supporters of “intelligent design,” questioned the theory of evolution.

A bit of common sense at last, and about bloody time too.