PBS evolution teacher's guide draws scrutiny

[Soldier4Christ]

PBS evolution teacher's guide draws scrutiny

A prominent intelligent design think tank says the Public Broadcasting Service is promoting teaching practices that run afoul of the establishment clause.

PBS has issued a teacher's guide in conjunction with an upcoming NOVA program about the Dover, Pennsylvania, intelligent design trial. The program is called "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial." But the Seattle-based Discovery Institute says the guide unconstitutionally injects religion into the classroom. Discovery spokesman Rob Crowther says PBS is telling public school teachers how they should talk about religion in relation to evolution.

"They are encouraging teachers to do things like have discussion questions such as -- 'Can you except evolution and still believe in religion? Answer: Yes. The common view that evolution is inherently anti-religious is simply false,'" he explains.

"Far be it from us to accuse PBS of kind of being agenda-driven, or having an anti-intelligent design bend," he continues," but it is interesting that this is the tact they've taken and now there they are injecting religion right into the classroom.

He says that copies of the teacher's guide have been sent to 15 attorneys and legal scholars, who are also constitutional experts, for review. He believes the guides explicitly promote religious viewpoints in violation of the First Amendment's establishment clause. Crowther also believes NOVA's program incorrectly defines intelligent design (ID) just like federal judge John Jones did in the Dover case when he ruled that ID could not be taught in schools because it is religion, not science.

[Soldier4Christ]

The main problem here is that this is anti-religious teaching instead of being pro. It is indoctrinating these teachers and in turn students to call God a liar.

[HisDaughter]

The main problem here is that this is anti-religious teaching instead of being pro. It is indoctrinating these teachers and in turn students to call God a liar.

You mean the Nova progam?

[Soldier4Christ]

No, the teachers guide that goes with the program "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial" that is going to be on the Nova program. The main problem is with the teachers guide not necessarily the program.