California high school class pits evolution against religion

January 6, 2006

FRESNO – A rural California high school jumped into the national debate over teaching an alternative to evolution this week, offering the religion-based theory of "intelligent design" in a philosophy course.

Less than a month after a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled against teaching the theory as science, a divided school board said Frazier Mountain High School in Lebec could teach the four-week winter session class after making the curriculum more philosophical and less scientific.

"It's really just a philosophy class," said John Wight, superintendent of El Tejon Unified School District. "We don't take a position."

But some in the town of 1,285 perched in the Tehachapi mountains dividing the agricultural Central Valley from Los Angeles, about 75 miles south, wonder if the "Philosophy of Design" course is a sneaky way to introduce the theory that livings things are so complex they must have been designed by a higher being.

The class taught by a minister's wife shocked some school board members when they learned that three experts on intelligent design were scheduled to speak while two evolution experts listed as guest speakers were not coming.

One of the evolution experts disagreed with the class. The other, Nobel laureate Francis Crick, who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, died in 2004.

"I had concerns about the credibility of the content, and whether it was balanced," said board member Kitty Jo Nelson, who was in the minority when the board voted 3-2 on Sunday in a special session to allow the course. "I believe in critical thinking, in giving students the opportunity to look at various options, but I wasn't sure if this was the place to start."

Intelligent design was dealt a significant blow Dec. 20 when U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III in Pennsylvania said the Dover, Pa., school board violated the constitutional separation of church and state when the subject was included in its science curriculum.

Around the country, school officials have been wondering whether to introduce the theory supported by religious groups without inviting lawsuits.

In North Dakota, administrators from several districts said students could not use it as a topic in debate tournaments. The Kansas Board of Education is reviewing new science standards for its public schools that would mention the theory.

The California Department of Education wasn't aware of similar courses being taught in the state, but schools aren't required to notify it about curriculum, a spokeswoman said.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell wasn't familiar with the class, but has been outspoken against the teaching of intelligent design as science.

"In a true philosophy class, if it's one of many concepts being discussed, I have no problem," O'Connell said.

Experts on both sides said the debate is scientific in nature, despite what the class is called.

"The primary issues are scientific, relating to biology, geology, and so on," said John Calvert, of the Kansas-based Intelligent Design Network, which disseminates material in support of the subject. "As the discussion occurs, it'll become clear that it needs to move to a science class because that's where the expertise is."

Intelligent design opponents fear that teaching the subject as philosophy is a way of introducing it as a scientifically valid point of view on par with evolution, whether or not it's in an official science class.

"It doesn't matter if they label it philosophy, science or home ec," said Glenn Branch, deputy director of the Oakland-based National Center for Science Education. "For this to be endorsed as scientifically credible is a violation of church-state separation."

The El Tejon district's Board of Trustees first learned of the class – which students earn credit for – in December as it was about to approve curricula for the winter session.

A description of the course said: "This class is not meant to guide you into a certain belief, but to allow you to search, become aware of the differences, and gain a better understanding of world views on origins."

Social studies teacher Sharon Lemburg, who is married to an Assembly of God pastor, did not return several calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Board members recommended changes to the original course plan, which included 24 videos – 19 of them supporting intelligent design. They also voiced concern over scientific issues in the class, such as the laws of thermodynamics and how fossil dating works.

In a New Year's Day session, they approved a class that would only use videos, in spite of opposition from at least one parent and both science teachers at the school of about 500 students from surrounding towns.

Fifteen students attended the first class Tuesday – the minimum required to hold a winter session class.

So far, some parents have written the school in opposition, but no group has tried to stop the class from being taught.

"I don't agree with teaching kids religion," said parent Tammy Rossiter, who has a son and daughter at the school. "It's something that should be done at home."