[Evolidaho] Fwd: [AIBS-Evolution-l]Fwd: [ncse-news] Evolution education update: August 15, 2008

Fri Aug 15 12:15:36 MDT 2008


----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Gropp <rgropp at aibs.org>
Date: Friday, August 15, 2008 11:26 am
Subject: [AIBS-Evolution-l]Fwd: [ncse-news] Evolution education update:  August 15, 2008
To: evolution-l at aibs.org

>  From the National Center for Science Education...Science
> wins again.
>
>
> >Dear Friends of NCSE,
> >
> >The University of California system prevailed in a lawsuit in
> which the
> >quality of creationist science textbooks was at issue. 
> And the Clergy
> >Letter Project is now recruiting rabbis who acknowledge the
> scientific>importance of evolution.
> >
> >VICTORY IN CALIFORNIA CREATIONISM CASE
> >
> >The defendants in Association of Christian Schools
> International et al. v.
> >Roman Stearns et al. have prevailed.  The case, originally
> filed in federal
> >court in Los Angeles on August 25, 2005, centered on the
> University of
> >California system's policies and statements relevant to
> evaluating the
> >qualifications of applicants for admission.  The
> plaintiffs -- the
> >Association of Christian Schools International, the Calvary Chapel
> >Christian School in Murrieta, California, and a handful of
> students at the
> >school -- charged that the university system violated the
> constitutional>rights of applicants from Christian schools whose
> high school coursework is
> >deemed inadequate preparation for college; they objected to the
> university>system's policy of rejecting high school biology
> courses that use textbooks
> >published by Bob Jones University Press and A Beka Books as
> "inconsistent>with the viewpoints and knowledge generally
> accepted in the scientific
> >community."
> >
> >On March 28, 2008, Judge S. James Otero ruled in favor of the
> defendants'>motion for partial summary judgment, which
> established only the
> >constitutionality of the university system's policies and statements
> >relevant to evaluating the qualifications of applicants for
> >admission.  Still unaddressed, however, was the "as
> applied" issue -- that
> >is, the question of whether those policies and statements were
> properly and
> >fairly applied to the specific decisions cited in the
> lawsuit.  The
> >defendants subsequently filed a motion for summary judgment on the
> >plaintiffs' "as applied" claims.  That motion was granted
> in Judge Otero's
> >August 8, 2008 ruling, which ended, "Because Plaintiffs fail to
> raise any
> >genuine issue of material fact to support their as-applied claims,
> >Defendants' Motion is GRANTED" (emphasis in original).
> >
> >In addition to a host of procedural considerations, the latest ruling
> >addressed the university system's decision to deny approval for
> a biology
> >course submitted by Calvary Baptist School (not to be confused
> with the
> >Calvary Chapel Christian School), which used the A Beka text
> Biology: God's
> >Living Creation.  The book was evaluated by Barbara
> Sawrey, who described
> >it as taking an "overall un-scientific approach to the subject
> matter"; her
> >opinion was echoed by the defendants' expert witnesses Donald
> Kennedy and
> >Francisco J. Ayala (a Supporter of NCSE), who stated that
> neither the A
> >Beka text nor Bob Jones University Press's Biology for
> Christian Schools is
> >appropriate for use as the principal text in a college
> preparatory biology
> >course.  Kennedy wrote, "the problem is not ... that the
> creationist view
> >is taught as an alternative to scientific explanations, but
> that the nature
> >of science, the theory of evolution, and critical thinking are
> not taught
> >adequately."
> >
> >Michael Behe, a proponent of "intelligent design" creationism,
> served as an
> >expert witness for the plaintiffs, but his defense of the
> textbooks was
> >unavailing.  In his ruling, Judge Otero wrote, "Plaintiffs
> offer little
> >admissible evidence to the contrary. Plaintiffs' Biology
> expert, Dr.
> >Michael Behe, submitted a declaration concluding that the BJU
> text mentions
> >standard scientific content. ... However, Professor Behe 'did
> not consider
> >how much detail or depth' the texts gave to this standard
> content. ...
> >Therefore, Professor Behe fails to refute one of Professor Kennedy's
> >primary concerns that the nature of science, the theory of
> evolution, and
> >critical thinking are not taught adequately.  Accordingly,
> there is no
> >genuine issue of material fact as to this issue. 
> Defendants had a rational
> >basis for rejecting Calvary Baptist's proposed Biology course."
> >
> >The University of California's provost Wyatt R. Hume expressed
> pleasure>with the ruling in a press release, saying, "The
> University welcomes
> >students of all religious faiths and recognizes that a
> diversity of
> >educational backgrounds among our students, including religious
> education,>enriches the UC community and the academic
> experience.  As we have said all
> >along, the question the University addresses in reviewing
> courses is not
> >whether they have religious content, but whether they provide
> adequate>instruction in the subject matter."  Charles
> Robinson, the university
> >system's general counsel, added, "Judge Otero's decision
> confirms that UC
> >may apply the same admissions standards to all students and to
> all high
> >schools without regard to their religious affiliations." 
> The case is not
> >over yet, however: the plaintiffs have appealed the ruling to
> the Ninth
> >Circuit Court of Appeals.
> >
> >For the ruling (PDF), visit:
> >http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/acsi-
> stearns/ruling0808.pdf>
> >For the University of California's press release (PDF), visit:
> >http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/acsi-
> stearns/courtdecisionsummary_080808.pdf>
> >THE CLERGY LETTER PROJECT SEEKS RABBIS
> >
> >As part of its efforts to encourage and support members of the
> clergy who
> >acknowledge the scientific importance of evolution, the Clergy Letter
> >Project is now asking rabbis to sign its open letter concerning
> religion>and science.  The letter begins, "As rabbis from
> various branches of
> >Judaism, we the undersigned, urge public school boards to
> affirm their
> >commitment to the teaching of the science of evolution," and
> observes, "It
> >is possible to be inspired by the religious teachings of the
> Bible while
> >not taking a literalist approach and while accepting the
> validity of
> >science including the foundational concept of evolution. 
> It is not the
> >role of public schools to indoctrinate students with specific
> religious>beliefs but rather to educate them in the established
> principles of science
> >and in other subjects of general knowledge."  Over one
> hundred rabbis have
> >endorsed the letter so far.
> >
> >The brainchild of Michael Zimmerman, Dean of the College of
> Liberal Arts
> >and Sciences at Butler University, the Clergy Letter Project
> was founded in
> >2004; its activities include a similar letter for Christian clergy,
> >currently endorsed by over 11,000 members of the clergy across
> the country
> >and around the world; a pool of scientists willing to work with
> clergy on
> >promoting scientific literacy; a collection of sermons,
> articles, readings,
> >and websites relevant to the Clergy Letter Project's goals; and
> Evolution>Weekend (formerly Evolution Sunday), in which
> religious leaders are
> >encouraged to discuss the compatibility of faith and science in their
> >sermons, Sabbath or Sunday schools, and discussion groups, on
> or about
> >Darwin's birthday, February 12.  Over 300 congregations
> are already
> >planning to celebrate Evolution Weekend in 2009, the Darwin
> bicentennial year.
> >
> >For the open letters from rabbis, visit:
> >http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/JewishClergy/RabbiLetter.htm
> >
> >For the other activities of the Clergy Letter Project, visit:
> >http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/religion_science_collaboration.htm
> >http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_expert_data_base.htm
> >http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_resources.htm
> >http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_evolution_weekend_2009.htm
> >
> >REMINDER
> >
> >If you wish to unsubscribe to these evolution education
> updates, please send:
> >
> >unsubscribe ncse-news your at email.com
> >
> >in the body of an e-mail to majordomo at ncseweb2.org.
> >
> >If you wish to subscribe, please send:
> >
> >subscribe ncse-news your at email.com
> >
> >again in the body of an e-mail to majordomo at ncseweb2.org.
> >
> >Thanks for reading! And as always, be sure to consult NCSE's
> web site:
> >
> >http://www.ncseweb.org
> >
> >where you can always find the latest news on evolution
> education and
> >threats to it.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Glenn Branch
> >Deputy Director
> >National Center for Science Education, Inc.
> >http://www.ncseweb.org
> >
> >Not in Our Classrooms:  Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong
> for Our Schools
> >http://www.ncseweb.org/nioc
> >
> >Eugenie C. Scott's Evolution vs. Creationism
> >http://www.ncseweb.org/evc
> >
> >NCSE's work is supported by its members.  Join today!
> >http://www.ncseweb.org/membership.asp
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________________________________________
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