Intelligent design challenge in Cali

LA Times: 1st suit in state to attack "Intelligent Design" filed

So ID has gone west to find its fortune. Over the last year, it has been said often, including by ACLU-PA, that ID would not violate Amendment 1 in a philosophy course, but we weren't thinking of The Philosophy of Why Evolution is Nonsense and Creationism Rules.

Dispatches from the Culture Wars has been eyeing this story:

The first syllabus was incredibly blatant in advocating creationism and looks as though it was thrown together on the back of a cocktail napkin. It includes a list of some 19 creationist videos to be shown and not a single resource on evolution to be used. Perhaps the most amusing thing about the original syllabus is that it includes as a speaker "Francis Krich - evolutionist". Apparently, someone recommended to the teacher that she ask Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA along with James Watson to speak to the class. Good idea, except for the fact that he's dead.

Dover Part 2, with a twist

The Questionable Authority is also on the case:

First, let's be clear about one thing: this is not a class that is having students "learn about material that some people consider religious." As Casey (Luskin, Discovery Institute attorney) admits, this is a class that "advocates for young-earth creationism and teaches out of the Bible. [emphasis mine]" Advocating for something is not the same as teaching about it.

Second, the young-earth creationist position is not "material that some people consider religious." It is a religious position. You need look no further than the various statements of faith that the different young-earth groups support to see that.

Spinning creationism back into the classroom

Press release from Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Andy in H-burg