Judge to Rule on Georgia Evolution Disclaimers (reject, virtual, followers)

[Pah]

Judge to Rule on Georgia Evolution Disclaimers
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...e_evolution_dc
Fri Nov 12, 6:17 PM ET Science - Reuters


By Paul Simao

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A public school board in Georgia violated the U.S. Constitution when it placed stickers that challenge the theory of evolution on biology textbooks two years ago, a lawyer for a group of parents said on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper pledged on Friday to try to deliver a speedy verdict.


In closing arguments on the fifth day of a federal trial in Atlanta, attorney Michael Manley accused the Cobb County school district of using the disclaimers to promote religion in its classrooms.

"They are promoting religious dogma to all students," said Manley, who noted the stickers referred only to evolution and not to other alternative theories about the origins of the human race.

The stickers, which appeared after pressure from hundreds of parents, many of them religious conservatives, read:

"This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

Linwood Gunn, a lawyer for the suburban Atlanta school board, said the stickers only advised students to keep an open mind and did not promote religion in violation of the constitutional principle of separation of church and state.

The American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) sued the school board on behalf of parents who believed the disclaimers pushed the teaching of creationism and discriminated against non-Christians and followers of other religions.

Creationism rejects modern scientific explanations for the origin and development of life, preferring instead the idea of supernatural creation by God. Evolution, which is accepted by virtually all biologists, contends life developed from more primitive forms and was dictated by natural selection.

The U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) ruled in 1987 that creationism could not be taught in public schools alongside evolution.

The Georgia trial occurred about one week after the reelection of President Bush (news - web sites), who won the overwhelming support of religious conservatives with his stands against gay marriage and abortion.


The trial also rehashed memories of the 1925 "Monkey Trial" of John Scopes, a Tennessee biology teacher who was found guilty of illegally teaching evolution.

[standing_on_one_foot]

I tell you, though, it's a good disclaimer! It should be on everything! The problem is, they don't really mean approaching it with an open mind, studying it carefully, and critically considering it...and the whole "only a theory" business is awfully misleading if you don't know the scientific definition of the word...but besides that, really, it's not bad advice. The intent isn't so good, but the advice is...

[cvipertooth]

maybe they do have good intent, but they arent wording it right. I think they should have said evolution is a theory about the origin of living things. they could have left the whole "not a fact" thing out. thts like saying "evolution is a theory, a theory, about the origin of living things". I think this was an attempt to pacify reactionary parents without getting God involved. They also succeeded in actually crediting evolution with something. Atleast they arent saying "disregard evolution, we have to teach it"