evolution sticker in textbook ruled unconstitutional

amazing...


Judge nixes evolution textbook stickers
Disclaimer questioning theory ruled unconstitutional

NBC News
The Cobb County Board of Education required these stickers to be pasted into biology textbooks, saying that evolution "is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. The material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered."
The Associated Press
Updated: 1:12 p.m. ET Jan. 13, 2005ATLANTA - A federal judge on Thursday ordered the removal of stickers placed in high school biology textbooks that call evolution “a theory, not a fact,” saying they were an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

The disclaimers were put in the books by school officials in suburban Cobb County in 2002.

“Adopted by the school board, funded by the money of taxpayers, and inserted by school personnel, the sticker conveys an impermissible message of endorsement and tells some citizens that they are political outsiders while telling others they are political insiders,” U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper said in his 44-page ruling.

“This is a great day for Cobb County students,” said attorney Michael Manely, who represented parents who brought the suit. “They’re going to be permitted to learn science unadulterated by religious dogma.”

Doug Goodwin, a spokesman for Cobb County schools, said officials did not have an immediate response but were preparing a statement.

Tolerance or religious activism?
Six parents of students and the American Civil Liberties Union had challenged the stickers in court, arguing they violated the constitutional separation of church and state.

The case was heard in federal court last November, where the school system defended the warning stickers as a show of tolerance, not religious activism as some parents claimed.

“The Cobb County school board is doing more than accommodating religion,” Manely had argued during the trial. “They are promoting religious dogma to all students.”

Lawyers for Cobb County disagreed, saying the school board had made a good-faith effort to address questions that inevitably arise during the teaching of evolution.

“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.”

2,000 complaints from parents
The schools placed the stickers after more than 2,000 parents complained the textbooks presented evolution as fact, without mentioning rival ideas about the beginnings of life.

The stickers 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.”

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 soon dropped amid protests by teachers.

source

Are they really this paranoid? "endorsement of religion"? did someone else read anything about religion in that sticker?

these judges...

Paranoid for good reason although I find nothing wrong with the stickers.

Religious views are also being presented in science classes ffs. :blink:

The judge I guess saw the writing on the wall or the tablet. :shifty:

ok,
I'll bite...

do you think that it is possible to argue creationism on a purely "scientific" basis?

I use the term scientific loosely, because, science is the study of something observed; macro-evolution and the big-bang theory, of course, cannot be observed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spinningfreemanny

ok,
I'll bite...

do you think that it is possible to argue creationism on a purely "scientific" basis?

I use the term scientific loosely, because, science is the study of something observed; macro-evolution and the big-bang theory, of course, cannot be observed.

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It's possible as long as their is some study besides "God said so" to support those aspects of the Bible.

Mind you the term creationism is pushed from a Christian point of view....another fault.

Ok you'll bite?
I think I bit since you are the thread starter. :huh:

It really depends on what you mean by Creationism. The Big Bang could have been created. Even if there is a multi-verse that neither begins nor ends it does not preclude design.

The issue is not so much the science of evolution, which has a lot of geological and palaeontological support, but more a concern that if (frankly fairly minor) details are questioned regarding the veracity of scriptures then more fundamental issues of faith might also be questioned. This goes not just for Christianity but for all religions with creation myths. My own view is that this dilemma is caused through over-literal interpretation of text which the intent of was originally both artistic and impressionistic.

For example Manny, if on the same day, both evolution and the resurrection were proved beyond doubt would evolution matter one jot to you?

Manny , firstly welcome back..

Please tell me if you would object to a sticker placed in the bible that states that it is theory and not fact?.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vidcc

Manny , firstly welcome back..

Please tell me if you would object to a sticker placed in the bible that states that it is theory and not fact?.

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There was another page... they found it recently in the Dead Sea Scrolls..

They cant make it all out, just the end...


"..any similarity between persons living or dead, are purely coincidental."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vidcc

Manny , firstly welcome back..

Please tell me if you would object to a sticker placed in the bible that states that it is theory and not fact?.

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very good point, never thought of it that way.

can kids not work it out anyway in america?

Since a theory is defined as "an unproven assumption" the sticker appears a bit redundant.