Legal controversy
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Legal controversy regarding religious creationism and the place of these beliefs in society has become commonplace around the globe. Numerous court battles have addressed the issue of whether it is lawful to teach creation theory or intelligent design in public schools (see trials). Some countries, such as Australia wherein Christians represent on overwhelming majority of the population (>67%)[1], now require the teaching of materialistic evolution as a scientific fact. These educational requirements are even imposed by law upon private Christian schools, which are quickly brought to task if their curriculum deviates from these federal mandates.[2] The loss of the right to teach science from the creation worldview in countries made-up largely of Christians should be a wake-up call to others like the United States which are on the brink of losing similar religious freedoms.
Contents |
Creation in public school
There is perhaps no other place where the legal controversy over creation is more apparent than in the U.S. public school system (see Anticreation in public schools). A country with a solid Christian heritage has reached a status where teachers have become fearful of exposing their faith in the workplace. This movement is in no small part due to the activities of groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which quickly move to sue any school district where it is reported that a teacher is challenging Darwinism or introducing intelligent design concepts in the classroom. Numerous examples have also been documented where educators were discriminated against in academia simply because of their faith in God, even when their beliefs never made it into the classroom.[3]
Progress has also been furthered by the National Academy of Sciences, which is predominated by atheism and advices U.S. policy makers regarding science education. To this end, the NAS strongly discourages the teaching of creationism and urges teachers to define science in terms of philosophical naturalism (see: Science, Evolution, and Creationism). Government policy is now also in place to discourage those who believe in God from receiving teaching certificates.[4]
Trials
Creation vs. evolution trials
- Main Article: Creation vs. evolution
Since the 1950s, evolutionists have had a virtual monopoly in public education. This was not the result of legislation or Supreme Court rulings, however. There have been no laws or Supreme Court rulings prohibiting the teaching of creationism in schools. The cases to date have revolved around efforts by creationists to prohibit the teaching of evolution (in the Scopes Trial and others), and to require that creation science must at least be taught alongside evolution in public schools. These efforts were halted by the Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause in Edwards vs. Aguillard. But none of these cases prohibited teachers from teaching creationism or intelligent design in schools.
- Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District 2005
- Selman vs. Cobb County 2004
- Peloza vs. Capistrano Unified School District 1994
- Webster vs. New Lenox 1990
- Edwards vs. Aguillard 1987
- Segraves vs. State of California 1981
- Epperson vs. Arkansas 1968
- Tennessee vs. John Scopes 1925
- Butler Act 1925
- Buck vs. Bell
Equal rights
News
- Creationism theme park caught in tax dispute A federal judge has cleared the way for the government’s seizure of a creationism theme park in Pensacola. WorldNetDaily. August 07, 2009
- California youth prevails in suit on teacher's comment about creationism Tederal judge ruled that a public high school history teacher violated the First Amendment when he called creationism "superstitious nonsense" during a classroom lecture. San Jose Mercury News. May 5, 2009.
- Graduate School Sues Texas Agency Over Academic Discrimination The ICR Graduate School is suing the Texas Higher Ed Coordinating Board, its commissioner, and several of its members for unconstitutional discrimination in their handling of the School's application for accreditation. Christian Newswire. April 21, 2009.
- Like it or not, you pay for faith in evolution A case is on the way to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the use of federal taxpayer funds to endorse the beliefs of religious groups that promote belief in evolution. WorldNetDaily. January 09, 2009
- School in clear over teaching creation A Christian school in Australia that teaches a biblical view of creation in science classes has been cleared of breaching state curriculum requirements for the teaching of evolution. The Sydney Morning Herald. December 9, 2008
- California Judge Rules Against Academic Freedom Judge has allowed the University of California (UC) to continue denying course credit for college preparatory classes from Christian high schools. Institute for Creation Research. August 15, 2008
- Judge says UC can deny religious course credit UC discrimination specifically targets Christian high schools whose textbooks declare the Bible infallible and reject evolution. San Francisco Chronicle. August 13, 2008.
- CA Appeals Court Clears Way for Homeschooling California appeals court overturns a previous ruling clearing the way for parents to homeschool their children. American Center for Law and Justice. August 8, 2008.
- Homeschooling OK – even in California Court reversed ruling that parents had no right to teach children. WorldNetDaily. August 08, 2008
- Missouri Becomes Third State to Introduce Academic Freedom Legislation on Teaching of Evolution Missouri Rep. Wayne Cooper has introduced HB 2554. Evolution News and Views. April 3, 2008
- Louisiana Passes Landmark Science Education Act Senate passed a academic freedom bill protecting teachers that encourage critical thinking and objective discussion about evolution. Discovery Institute. June 16, 2008
- Judge orders homeschoolers into government education California court has ruled against family's religious beliefs. WorldNetDaily. February 29, 2008
- European panel condemns creationism effort European lawmakers approved a report condemning efforts to teach creationism in schools. United Press International. Oct. 5, 2007
- Teach the controversy Two years after Intelligent Design advocates lost a key court battle, some biology classrooms and ID supporters are finding a balanced approach to evolution that—so far—is lawsuit-proof. by Mark Bergin. World Magazine. July 21, 2007
- Colleges: Bible verses contaminate textbooks Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) files laysuit against the University of California for banning the Christian texts from high school core requirements for college entrance. May 02, 2007. WorldNetDaily.com
- Bible study in public schools pushed Lawmaker wants to have public school districts offer an elective course in the history and literature of the Old and New Testaments. Express News. April 04, 2007
- St. Petersburg court rejects schoolgirl's suit over Darwinism Suit by Russian girl asking for the right to study other theories on origins dismissed. Russian News and Information Agency February 21, 2007
- Federal judge rules on landmark Intelligent Design case Teaching ID as alternative to evolution deemed unconstitutional. by Pam S. Sheppard, staff writer, AiG–USA. December 20, 2005
- Judge rules against 'intelligent design' in class Pennsylvania science teachers will not be forced to advocate "intelligent design" after a judge ruled that that the theory is really religion in disguise. NewScientist.com December 20, 2005
- 'Intelligent Design' Defense Opens CBS News Oct. 17, 2005. Michael Behe testified Monday that evolution alone can't explain complex biological processes and he believes God is behind them.
- Evolution Debate In Federal Court CBS News Sept. 26, 2005. Eighty years after the Scopes Monkey Trial, the latest legal chapter in the debate over the teaching of evolution in public schools is to unfold in federal court.
- Defending “design” in Dover (Pennsylvania, USA) School policy that questions Darwin and informs about intelligent design goes to federal court. by Pam Sheppard, staff writer, AiG–USA. September 26, 2005
- University of California sued for discriminating against Christian courses Some college-prep classes deemed “too religious”. AiG–USA. September 6, 2005
Religious liberty legal defense
- American Center for Law and Justice
- Liberty Counsel A nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family.
- Pacific Justice Institute A non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties.
- The Rutherford Institute A non-profit conservative legal organization dedicated to the defense of civil, especially religious, liberties and human rights.
References
- ↑ Country Profile:Australia by the U.S. Library of Congress. September 2005.
- ↑ School in clear over teaching creation A Christian school in Australia that teaches a biblical view of creation in science classes has been cleared of breaching state curriculum requirements for the teaching of evolution. The Sydney Morning Herald. December 9, 2008
- ↑ New Ben Stein Flick, Expelled, Blows the Whistle on the Darwinist Inquisition Evolution News and Views. August 23, 2007
- ↑ Future Teachers Conditional Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. 2008.
External links
- Trial News by the American Center for Law and Justice
- Creation On Trial Creation vs. Evolution Trials, Bills, and Legal Precedence by the Northwest Creation Network
- Legally Teaching Creation Science in Public Schools by Liberty Counsel
See Also
| ||||||||||||||
