12 May 2009
California Creationism Discrimination Case Noted in UK
Enemies of creationism may be hindering science teachers
by Andrew Brown
The Guardian (UK), p. 30
May 12, 2009
A district court judge in southern California has ruled that a teacher who described creationism as “superstitious nonsense” was making a religious statement, which is impermissible in US public schools. On the face of it, this is completely absurd, even for southern California. Creationism is superstitious nonsense, and teachers should be able to say so. But when you look at the background, the case becomes in some respects less absurd, but also more threatening – especially for hardline rationalists such as Richard Dawkins, who would like to dismiss creationism as beneath contempt.
