Earlier today, much to my surprise, I received a response from a member of the Kansas State Board of Education:

Thanks for your comments. I supported the science committee recommendations; however, I was in the minority.

Janet Waugh

Here's my response:

Dear Ms. Waugh,

I wasn't expecting a response to my attempt at satire, directed at the board as a whole; and I must say that it's gracious of you to take the time to respond anyway.

You've been widely quoted as saying "This is a sad day. We're becoming a laughingstock of not only the nation, but of the world, and I hate that." Indeed, yet I hope that you're able to see the silver lining, that the reaction testifies that much of the civilized world is on your side, and sympathizes with your frustration. I chose the laughingstock route as preferable to unvarnished outrage because, as a matter of principle, I don't want to harden attitudes and feed the martyr complex of the religious extremists. Maybe if we can laugh about it, rather than scream about it, there's hope for fixing it someday.

Thank you for your efforts in the defense of science and rationality, Ms. Waugh. They're appreciated by many millions of people around the world, and you can take considerable comfort from that.

Best wishes,

Robert Shepherd