Evolution Case Withdrawn
ATLANTA -- A suburban school board that put stickers in high school science books saying evolution is "a theory, not a fact" abandoned its legal battle to keep them Tuesday after four years.
The Cobb County board agreed in federal court never to use a similar sticker or to undermine the teaching of evolution in science classes.
In return, parents who sued over the stickers agreed to drop legal action.
The school board placed the stickers inside the front cover of biology books in 2002 after some other parents complained that evolution was being taught to the exclusion of other theories, including a literal reading of the biblical story of creation.
A federal judge ordered the stickers removed in 2005, saying they amount to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.
The school board appealed, but a federal appeals court sent the case back, saying it didn't have enough information.
"We faced the distraction and expense of starting all over with more legal actions and another trial," said board chairwoman Teresa Plenge.
"With this agreement, it is done and we now have a clean slate for the new year."
The Cobb County board agreed in federal court never to use a similar sticker or to undermine the teaching of evolution in science classes.
In return, parents who sued over the stickers agreed to drop legal action.
The school board placed the stickers inside the front cover of biology books in 2002 after some other parents complained that evolution was being taught to the exclusion of other theories, including a literal reading of the biblical story of creation.
A federal judge ordered the stickers removed in 2005, saying they amount to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.
The school board appealed, but a federal appeals court sent the case back, saying it didn't have enough information.
"We faced the distraction and expense of starting all over with more legal actions and another trial," said board chairwoman Teresa Plenge.
"With this agreement, it is done and we now have a clean slate for the new year."
AP - Source: Detroit Free Press
Labels: Education
posted by Barbi @ 10:22 PM
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