SB 1213 Summary

• Adds section 15-706.01 to Arizona Revised Statutes requiring state board of education, department of education, school districts, and administrators to create an environment encouraging pupils to explore scientific questions, develop critical thinking skills, and respectfully discuss controversial issues.

• Requires educators to help students understand, analyze, critique and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in courses being taught.

• Prohibits the state board of education, department of education, county superintendents, school districts, and administrators from preventing teachers from presenting scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories to students.

• Specifies that the law protects only the teaching of scientific information and does not promote any religious or nonreligious doctrine or promote discrimination based on religious beliefs or nonbeliefs.

• Identifies controversial science subjects including biological evolution, chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning as topics where teachers may need guidance on instructional expectations.