Scientists Come To
Defense Of
Dover School District
TheWGALChannel.com
from the Web, October 5, 2005
HARRISBURG, Pa. Oct. 4 -- As a
judge in Harrisburg considers whether even brief mention of intelligent design
should be banned from a York County classroom, some 85 scientists are coming to
the defense of the Dover Area School District.
The group has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Kitzmiller versus Dover
case, urging the judge to affirm the freedom to pursue scientific evidence
"wherever it may lead."
Not all signers are proponents of the intelligent design model, but all agree
that "protecting the freedom to pursue scientific evidence for intelligent
design stimulates the advance of scientific knowledge."
The brief says a ruling against Dover's policy would have "far-reaching
detrimental effects beyond the schoolhouse doors."
Discovery Institute senior fellow David DeWolf says doubts over whether Darwin's
evolution theory adequately explains the evidence should be resolved "in the
laboratory, not in the court room."
A trial brought by eight families and the ACLU began last week and is to resume
Wednesday.
Currently students taking ninth grade biology have to hear an intelligent design
preamble before lessons on evolution.
Here is the text of the statement on intelligent design that Dover Area High
School administrators currently have to read to students at the start of biology
lessons on evolution:
"The Pennsylvania Academic
Standards require students to learn about Darwin's theory of evolution and
eventually to take a standardized test of which evolution is a part.
"Because Darwin's theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new
evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact. Gaps in the
theory exist for which there is no evidence. A theory is defined as a
well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.
"Intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs
from Darwin's view. The reference book, 'Of Pandas and People,' is
available for students who might be interested in gaining an understanding
of what intelligent design actually involves.
"With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to keep an open mind.
The school leaves the discussion of the origins of life to individual
students and their families. As a standards-driven district, class
instruction focuses upon preparing students to achieve proficiency on
standards-based assessments."
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