Sticker on text book unconstitutional
OK…more from the just plain wacky front (and is making me a little worried where its headed). Schools in Atlanta, Georgia were placing stickers on their science textbooks. The stickers read:
“This textbook contains material on evolution. 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."
Before you read the rest of this, if this is all you know, what’s wrong with the sticker? Is evolution a theory or not? It’s never been proven (and in my opinion never will be proven), so what’s wrong with the sticker? No really, what’s wrong? Well, authors of the textbooks sued and guess what? They won the lawsuit, and the stickers have to be removed. How ridiculous is that? Why did the judge rule this way? Let him answer:
"By denigrating evolution, the School Board appears to be endorsing the well-known prevailing alternative theory, creationism or variations thereof ....An informed, reasonable observer would understand the School Board to be endorsing the viewpoint of Christian fundamentalists and creationists that evolution is a problematic theory lacking an adequate foundation.”
Say what? So, we now we not only have to take all religion out of the schools, but anything appearing slightly related to religion, even if it isn’t even mentioned? We can even APPEAR to be supportive? Heaven forbid if we’re seen “endorsing religion” without even mentioning it. Someone please tell me this is just one big joke. According to this reasoning, then, merely stating the fact that evolution is a theory (and it is) and encouraging students to have an open mind, to study carefully, and to critically consider the theory is "denigrating" evolution? Since when is stating facts wrong? This, in the court's mind, is tantamount to "endorsing" creationism or variations thereof. Really? What is our legal system coming to? What is everyone afraid of?
Judge Cooper continued with his explanation for finding an Establishment Clause violation: "Evolution is more than a theory of origin in the context of science. To the contrary, evolution is the dominant scientific theory of origin accepted by the majority of scientists."
Read that again. Judge Cooper called it a scientific theory, but you can’t put stickers on the text books calling it a theory. Why? BECAUSE ITS ACCEPTED NY THE MAJORITY OF SCIENTISTS. This society is in BIG trouble folks. It’s bordering on the hysterical because everyone is “afraid”. Call me crazy. Call it making a big deal out of nothing. You know what though, if we continue to ignore this, and continue to say “what’s the big deal”, guess where we’ll end up?
You know what? I have a big eye opener for everyone. Do you know who said, “If you deny me, I WILL DENY YOU”?