Bill Empowering Science Denial in Classroom Introduced in Oklahoma

Senate Bill 140, named “the Oklahoma Science Education Act,” was introduced by State Senator Nathan Dahm. The bill would allow teachers to help students “understand, analyze, critique and review” proven scientific theories and would prevent school administrators from intervening.

Senate Bill 140 does not address any scientific theory directly. Similar bills (Senate Bill 613 and Senate Bill 662), however, were introduced during previous legislative sessions and named specific scientific theories, such as the theory of evolution, as being controversial. The earlier bills died in committee.

Update: The bill died in committee on March 2, 2023, when the deadline for Senate bills to be reported from committee passed.