Judge Rules Against Intelligent Design

[Henk Elegeert]

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http://www.yorkdispatch.com/features/idesign/ci_3327346

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Article Last Updated: 12/20/2005 05:33 PM

Judge Rules Against Intelligent Design

STAFF REPORTS
York Dispatch

A federal judge ruled this morning that intelligent design is not a
scientific theory and it should not be taught to public school.

U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones III also ordered the Dover Area
School District and its board to repeal its policy that mandates mention
of the controversial movement in science classes.

In a 139-page, strongly worded opinion, the judge said that Darwin's
theory of evolution isn't perfect, but nonetheless found that
intelligent design is rooted in creationism and violates the separation
of church and state.

Intelligent design says living things are so complicated they had to
have been created by a higher being, that life is too complex to have
developed through evolution as described by 19th-century English
biologist Charles Darwin.

“To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect," Jones wrote.
"However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an
explanation of every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an
untestable hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or
to misrepresent well-established scientific propositions."

Going further, he blasted former board members Alan Bonsell and William
Buckingham, writing that they “lied in their Jan. 3, 2005, depositions.”

“The citizens of the Dover area were poorly served by the members of the
board who voted for the ID (intelligent design) policy,” Jones wrote in
another portion of the decision. “It is ironic that several of these
individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious
convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks
and disguise the real purposed behind the ID policy.”

Pepper Hamilton law firm attorney Eric Rothschild, one of several
attorneys representing a group of parents who sued the school board,
told a room full of reporters in a press conference today that the
former school board members were “selfish.”

“They imposed their own religious viewpoint on a community that has
diverse beliefs,” he said. “And they did that without any investigation
or research about what they were presenting to the students as science.
It was all about getting their religious views into the school curriculum.”

Alan Bonsell, who was voted out of office the week after the trial
ended, said he wasn't dishonest.

“I didn't lie,” he said this afternoon when contacted at the automobile
repair shop where he works. “Obviously, he's not talking about me. I
wouldn't do that. It's not something I would do.”

Bonsell said he was disappointed about the judge's decision.

“Intelligent design, to me and everyone on the (former) board, is
science, but that's his (the judge's) decision.”

Eleven Dover Area School District parents filed a federal lawsuit
against the school and its school board last December, about two months
after the board voted to include a statement about intelligent design in
its ninth-grade biology classes.

The parents, along with the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans
United for the Separation of Church and State, said the board had
religious motives for putting the policy in place.

The school district and its board are being defended by Thomas More Law
Center, a Michigan-based law firm that works to defend the rights of
Christians, according to its Web site.

The non-jury trial started Sept. 26 and was completed Nov. 4.

A week after the end of the trial, Dover Area voters ousted seven of
eight incumbent school board members, all of whom favored mentioning
intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in science class.

The newly elected board members, candidates from the citizens group
Dover CARES (Citizens Actively Reviewing Educational Strategies) are
opposed to mentioning intelligent design in science classes.

Dover CARES candidates ran on a platform of teaching intelligent design
in an elective course, not a required class, if it is to be mentioned in
school.

Because the results of the election were contested, a re-vote will be
held Jan. 3 to determine the winner of an eighth seat. Running are CARES
candidate Bryan Rehm, also a plaintiff in the lawsuit, and incumbent
James Cashman.

Click here to read the full decision. (.pdf)
http://w2.yorkdispatch.com/Dover/kitzmiller_342.pdf
"

Uit de pdf:
"

The Pennsylvania Academic Standards require students
to learn about Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and
eventually to take a standardized test of which
evolution is a part.

Because Darwin’s Theory is a theory, it continues to be
tested as new evidence is discovered. The Theory is not
a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no
evidence. A theory is defined as a well-tested
explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.

Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of life
that differs from Darwin’s view. The reference book, Of
Pandas and People, is available for students who might
be interested in gaining an understanding of what
Intelligent Design actually involves.

With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to
keep an open mind. The school leaves the discussion of
the Origins of Life to individual students and their
families. As a Standards-driven district, class instruction
focuses upon preparing students to achieve proficiency
on Standards-based assessments.

A. Background and Procedural History
On December 14, 2004, Plaintiffs filed the instant suit challenging the
constitutional validity of the October 18, 2004 resolution and November
19, 2004 press release (collectively, “the ID Policy”).

...
"

Tja, .... wat is geloven toch hardnekkig.
En Van der Hoeven (minster van onderwijs) wil dat hier ook ?

Henk Elegeert

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