Wisconsin School OKs Creationism Teaching

Sorry Snood, (about your name)

There was a comment by the judge as to whether or not the defendent could tell his dreams from reality. The defendent answered "I hope so".

I'll admit that sometimes it's difficult. Humans have an evolutionary beneficial trait to see patterns in objects and numbers where there are none. Constellations, Numerology, Astrology and language are current examples.

Therefore it's always a good idea to have corroborating evidence from a third party if one sees, thinks, or hears something that is not quite adding up in the light of ones previous experiences.

When we look at Intelligent Design, or religion the corroboratig evidences are sorely lacking.

For instance no one else saw Moses "burning bush". No one else saw Isaiah's visions. And no one has shown that we cannot happen naturally

The biography of John Nash, either the book or the movie, gives a good illustration of how real and damaging thing get when the mind cannot tell between actual observations and imaginary occurrences. I have misplaced my copy or else I'd reference it further but if you are interested in the powers of the mind as opposed to the powers of the brain it'd be worth looking up.

Ga. Evolution Stickers Ordered Removed

27 minutes ago

By DOUG GROSS, Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA - A federal judge Thursday ordered a suburban Atlanta school system to remove stickers in its high school biology textbooks that call evolution "a theory, not a fact," saying the disclaimers were an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.


AP Photo
State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox speaks
during an interview Feb. 20, 2004, in Atlanta. Most
of the public debate over Georgia's 800-page school
curriculum overhaul has focused on one word. Cox's
now-defunct push to remove the word 'evolution'
sparked sometimes incredulous responses, from the
desk of former President Jimmy Carter to the set of
'Saturday Night Live.'
(AP Photo/Gregory Smith)



"By denigrating evolution, the school board appears to be endorsing the well-known prevailing alternative theory, creationism or variations thereof, even though the sticker does not specifically reference any alternative theories," U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper said.


The stickers were put in the books by school officials in Cobb County in 2002. They 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."


"This is a great day for Cobb County students," said Michael Manely, an attorney for the parents who sued over the stickers. "They're going to be permitted to learn science unadulterated by religious dogma."


Doug Goodwin, a spokesman for Cobb County schools, had no immediate comment.


The schools added the stickers after more than 2,000 parents complained the textbooks presented evolution as fact, without mentioning rival ideas about the beginnings of life. Six parents of students and the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) then sued, contending the disclaimers violated the separation of church and state.


At a trial in federal court in November, the school system defended the stickers as a show of tolerance, not religious activism.


"Science and religion are related and they're not mutually exclusive," school district attorney Linwood Gunn said. "This sticker was an effort to get past that conflict and to teach good science."


But the judge disagreed: "While evolution is subject to criticism, particularly with respect to the mechanism by which it occurred, the sticker misleads students regarding the significance and value of evolution in the scientific community."


The case is one of several battles waged in recent years in the Bible Belt over what role evolution should play in science books.


Last year, Georgia's education chief proposed a science curriculum that dropped the word "evolution" in favor of "changes over time." That plan was dropped amid protests by teachers.

A small bright spot, but certainly a harbinger. As the whacko fundies get their just due in court after court, the world of learning becomes a better place

Perhaps the most insidious effect of the campaign against evolution has been avoidance of the subject by teachers, who, whatever their convictions, want to forestall trouble with fundamentalist parents. Recent surveys of high school biology teachers have found that avoidance of evolution is common among instructors throughout the nation.

The singular achievement of the fundamentalist minority has been to render evolution controversial enough to silence many teachers who know better. Only now, when the religious right is no longer satisfied with avoidance but is demanding that schools add anti-Darwinist intelligent design to the curriculum, are defenders of evolution fighting back against the intimidation that has worked so well since the premature declaration of the death of fundamentalism in the 1920's.

Intelligent design taught in Pennsylvania

Biology teacher Jennifer Miller said although she was able to make a smooth transition to her evolution lesson after the statement was read, some students were upset that administrators would not entertain any questions about intelligent design.

"They were told that if you have any questions, to take it home," Miller said.