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U.S.
Court Rules Against 'Intelligent Design' in Science Class |
Posted:
09.28.05
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A U.S. District Judge ruled this week that the Dover, Pennsylvania
school district violated the constitutional principle of separation
of church and state when it required teachers to discuss "intelligent
design" -- the argument that an unknown force was involved
in the creation of complex creatures like humans.
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The lawsuit filed by 11 parents charged that intelligent design
is little more than a modified "creationism" which says
a divine being created life.
Judge John Jones agreed with the parents, writing in the court's
ruling that "intelligent design cannot uncouple itself from
its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents."
The legal battle is the latest in a national debate over how
the origins of human life should be taught in public schools.
 In
October 2004, the Dover Area School District voted to require
science teachers to read a statement before lessons on evolution
explaining that there is a difference between theory and fact,
and presents intelligent design as an alternative theory. You
can read the statement in full here.
Although the Dover School District is the first district in the
nation to require science teachers to mention intelligent design
in their classes, several schools around the nation are considering
it.
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Darwinian
evolution |
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Charles Darwin first proposed the theory of evolution in the
1859 book, "Origin of Species." Darwin's natural selection
theory argues that living organisms change over time in order
to adapt to their environment.
Evolutionary theory also suggests that humans evolved from apes
in a slow and random change over millions of years.
Many religious institutions oppose that theory, arguing that
the Bible lays out how God created man as well as plants and animals.
 By
the early 20th century, some states had enacted laws that banned
the teaching of evolution in public schools.
When Tennessee teacher John Scopes was arrested for challenging
one of these laws in 1925, the case became a nationwide spectacle.
Though Scopes was found guilty for violating the law at the time,
the trial was considered a victory for evolutionists since it
increased pressure on states to accept the growing view of evolution
as a scientifically valid theory.
In 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited laws banning the teaching
of evolution in public schools in Epperson v. Arkansas, citing
that it was a violation of the separation of church and state.
The court further ruled in 1987 in Edwards v. Aguillard that
school districts cannot require that equal time be given to the
teaching of creationism when evolution is taught.
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What is intelligent
design? |
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Proponents of intelligent design assert that Darwin's theory
cannot explain the incredible intricacies of complex life forms,
such as humans; therefore, such life forms must be the design
of an intelligent cause, rather than an undirected process.
 The
Discovery Institute, a think tank that supports intelligent design,
does not think educators should teach the scientific arguments
for intelligent design. Instead, they should "teach the controversy,"
so that students know about the alternatives to evolution.
Another organization, the Foundation for Thought and Ethics,
has published a pro-intelligent design textbook for high school
students titled "Of Pandas and People."
In early August, President Bush said that he felt that both evolution
and intelligent design "ought to be properly taught ... so
people can understand what the debate is about."
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A heated
debate |
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Critics of intelligent design, which include a majority of scientists,
argue it is merely another name for creationism, the belief in
the literal Genesis story of the Bible.
According to the critics, teaching intelligent design in public
schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion."
 Many
scientists also denounce intelligent design as being a theory
without any actual science behind it.
Kenneth Miller, a Brown University biology professor and author
of a high school science textbook, testified: "To my knowledge,
every single scientific society that has taken a position on this
issue has taken a position against intelligent design and in favor
of evolution."
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The public's
beliefs |
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Public opinion polls have consistently shown that much of the
American public does not agree with the scientific community.
In a March 2005 poll conducted by NBC News, 57 percent of respondents
believed that the "biblical account of creation" was
the most likely explanation of the origin of humans; only 33 percent
believed it was evolution.
The courts have regularly argued, including the recent Dover
ruling, that teaching theories such as creationism and intelligent
design would violate the Constitution.
In the recent November school board elections, the supporters
of intelligent design were voted out of office by Dover residents,
and the new school board has said they will not appeal Judge Jones'
decision.
Bernadette Reinking, the new school board president, said that
intelligent design may instead be discussed in an optional social
studies course.
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Compiled by Brian Wolly for NewsHour Extra
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Joplin was able to rise from the ashes because of help from everyone. And I am eternally grateful to anyone who made that possible.
