MS HB50

Requires the State Board of Education, school superintendents, administrators, and principals to create an environment encouraging students to explore scientific questions, learn about scientific evidence, and develop critical thinking skills.

Permits teachers to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review the scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the State Board of Education's curriculum framework.

Prohibits the State Board of Education, local school boards, superintendents, administrators, and principals from preventing teachers from objectively analyzing scientific theories, particularly those causing debate such as biological evolution, chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.

Clarifies that the protections apply only to teaching scientific information and shall not be construed to promote religious or nonreligious doctrines or discrimination based on religious beliefs.

Requires the State Department of Education to notify all public school superintendents of the bill's provisions by the start of the 2016-2017 school year, with superintendents notifying their employees.