Evolution Trial Lawyers Make Final Pleas

[Khephra]

ATLANTA -- Lawyers fighting a court challenge of evolution disclaimers on textbooks told a federal judge in final arguments Friday that the goal was tolerance. Opponents said the result was unconstitutional support of religion.

U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper said he plans to rule "as quickly as possible" following the weeklong trial in the suburban Cobb County case. Attorneys are still filing paperwork and said any ruling was probably at least a month away.

The suit by parents and the American Civil Liberties Union claims that school officials violated the constitutional separation of church and state in 2002 when they placed disclaimer stickers calling evolution "a theory, not a fact" on high school biology texts.

"The Cobb County school board is doing more than accommodating religion," Michael Manely, an attorney for the parents, argued Friday. "They are promoting religious dogma to all students."

Lawyers for Cobb County disagreed, saying the school board had made a good-faith effort to address questions that inevitably arise during the teaching of evolution.

"Science and religion are related and they're not mutually exclusive," Linwood Gunn said. "This sticker was an effort to get past that conflict and to teach good science."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-evolution-debate-georgia,0,533922.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

[WildClarySage]

1. damn frivilous lawsuits

America's return to scientific prominence isn't nearly as important as getting the brainwashing right.

[xchrom]

2. won't be surprised if they lose this.

seems about right that the jusdge would allow it.
the fabulous fifties here we come.

[prodigal_green]

3. were the 1850s fabulous?

I didn't know that--I'll have to go back and read my history books.

[Hosnon]

4. G-DAMNIT! Why does my state ALWAYS have to be the

dumbass of the bunch???

This just in - GA text books will now refer to dinosaurs as 'Jesus Horses'
-Bill Maher

[VegasWolf]

5. As the witnesses for the parents climbed down ( literally ) from

the witness stand and returned to church ...