| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Jason Spaceman" |
| Date: |
26 Jan 2005 11:55:50 AM |
| Object: |
Editorial: God, Schoolbooks |
From the article:
-------------------------------
The clear denunciation of such a gross constitutional breach should stop
efforts, such as those in Michigan and Pennsylvania, to bring "intelligent
design" -- the newest euphemism for creationism -- into schools.
Public school classrooms were never intended to put forth the agendas of any
religion, or even atheism. These are matters still best left to parents, who,
under the same Constitution, are free to teach whatever they think their
children should believe about God and evolution.
Those who call this view a copout and criticize Cooper's decision to uphold it
strictly miss the point: It's the law. Public schools have to obey.
--------------------------------
Read it at http://www.freep.com/voices/editorials/eevolution26e_20050126.htm
J. Spaceman
--
My email address (notreally@jspaceman.homelinux.org) is fake. Email sent to it
will only get caught in my spam tarpit.
.
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Editorial: God, Schoolbooks |
28 Jan 2005 03:57:48 AM |
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On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 06:55:50 -0500, Jason Spaceman
<notreally@jspaceman.homelinux.org> wrote:
Read it at http://www.freep.com/voices/editorials/eevolution26e_20050126.htm
God, Schoolbooks
January 26, 2005
The religious fundamentalists deriding a federal court ruling barring
anti-evolution stickers on Georgia textbooks have it all wrong. Judge
Clarence Cooper's decision neither denies God nor defends the theory
of evolution. It's about one thing: living up to the U.S.
Constitution.
That document's view on church and state is as clear now as the day
the ink hit the paper. Church and state must be separate, as much
today as ever, given the myriad ways issues of so-called morality are
creeping into government affairs.
By ignoring the law here, the Cobb County school board needlessly
opened this issue to debate. That's what happens when public bodies
bend to public pressure, as that board did two years ago. Under the
heat of 2,300 community signatures, it ruled in favor of the following
disclaimer: "Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin
of living things. This material should be approached with an open
mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
On its face, the language is harmless. But the question is whether it
"restricts" the teaching of evolution and forces taxpayer dollars to
be used to favor a specific religious point of view.
Cooper, bravely, was unequivocal: "Regardless of the discussions that
actually take place in the Cobb County science classroom, the sticker
has already sent a message that the school board agrees with the
beliefs of Christian fundamentalists and creationists."
The clear denunciation of such a gross constitutional breach should
stop efforts, such as those in Michigan and Pennsylvania, to bring
"intelligent design" -- the newest euphemism for creationism -- into
schools.
Public school classrooms were never intended to put forth the agendas
of any religion, or even atheism. These are matters still best left to
parents, who, under the same Constitution, are free to teach whatever
they think their children should believe about God and evolution.
Those who call this view a copout and criticize Cooper's decision to
uphold it strictly miss the point: It's the law. Public schools have
to obey.
Copyright © 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc.
--
Contempt of Congress meter reading-offscale.
Hello, theocracy with a fundamentalist US Supreme
Court who will ensure church and state are joined
at the hip like clergy and altar boys.
America 1776-Jan 2001 RIP
.
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