The book about pandas and humans supports the theory of intelligent design. This theory is called by the scientists "the Trojan horse through which the creation theory is introduced into the schools" and "religion in disguise"
Parents in York County, Pennsylvania last Thursday filed a lawsuit against a textbook "about pandas and humans" according to which it is prohibited due to a religious and non-scientific background.
In a partial hearing in federal court, it is said that the first draft of the book dealing with the theory of intelligent design, according to which the universe is too complex to evolve without the help of a dedicated designer, used the term creation.
The attorneys also provided a letter written by the book's publisher, John Buell, in which he claims that the theory of intelligent design serves as an alternative to evolution that alleviates the hostility that science has against the Christian view of the creation of the world.
Boal, seeking to defend himself and the book in court, said that he does not support a religious agenda and that the document was taken out of context. He said, for example, that when the draft of the book was written, the terms creation and creationism were not associated with the belief that the world was created by God as they are today.
In the legal hearing in which parents in the Dover district argued against the district's decision to teach religion when it demanded that the XNUMXth grade teachers read a message saying that evolution is a theory that includes unproven gaps. The message mentioned the theory of intelligent design as an alternative theory (even though in reality it is a religion in disguise), so the school put the book "On Pandas and Humans" in the school library.
The lawyers claim that teaching the theory of intelligent design in public schools goes against the separation of religion and state. A series of legal decisions have held that evolution can be taught because it is a science, while creationism cannot be taught because it is a religion.
"Our children need to get a proper education, and we can't start that by telling them about something that's science when it's not science," said Brian Rehm, a father of four and co-lawyer.
Thursday's hearing showed that the issue could be charged, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), whose lawyers represent the parents, attacking the theory of intelligent design as a Trojan horse of creationism.
"The association made it clear that it intends to put the theory of intelligent design to trial," said Leonard Brown, Boal's attorney. The defense attorneys are trying to show that the school board is promoting the theory of intelligent design for educational reasons. So far, the defense has asked the federal judge to allow them to call two journalists to testify and examine the notes they took while attending several school board meetings.
The articles they wrote linked the words of the school council members about Jesus and religion when they referred to the need to study the theory of intelligent design. Those school board members denied saying such things.
Nils Benn, the attorney for the York Daily Record and York Dispatch newspapers, asked the judge to reject the request, saying that the lists themselves are irrelevant, and that the response should be no more than a request from the journalists to confirm the stories they wrote. Ben offered to hand over the notes of one of the reporters that he kept and also gave the other reporter's e-mail to the judge.
"The court will not hand them over to anyone until it determines if they are relevant," said Ben, who explained what was behind his intention to give up the lists.
Federal District Judge John E. Jones said he would read the documents before deciding whether to call reporters to testify or limit the questions they could be asked.
The court ruled that newspapers have the freedom to collect materials and protect them from having to hand over their lists or testify in courts.
Ben requested that over 100 people who participated in the school board meetings also testify before the journalists.
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Darwin knew
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