Category: Culture
LeVake v. Independent School District: Administrators May Control the Evolution Curriculum
In this LeVake v. Independent School District, the Minnesota Court of Appeals did NOT find it was illegal to offer scientific critiques of evolution. What they did find is that administrators may exercise tight control over the curriculum, and may discipline teachers who would express doubts Darwin in the classroom. Cases like this show the need for academic freedom legislation to protect the rights of teachers to discuss both the evidence for and against evolution in the classroom. For podcast interviews with the plaintiff in this case, Rodney LeVake, see here and here. 1. SummaryIn LeVake v. Independent School District, high school biology teacher Rodney LeVake was reassigned after he allegedly failed to adequately cover the curriculum requirements for evolution Read More ›
Academic Freedom Day Events in Arkansas
Discovery Institute is proud to announce a series of Academic Freedom Day events at the University of Arkansas happening on February 11 (Darwin Day Eve!). First, there’s a free screening of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed starring Ben Stein. Q & A about the movie with Casey Luskin, Program Officer in Public Policy and Legal Affairs at the Discovery Institute, will follow. Time: 5 pmLocation: University of Arkansas Union TheatreFollowing that is a lecture, “The Positive Scientific Case for Intelligent Design and Why it’s being Expelled from Academia,” by Casey Luskin. Time: 7 pmLocation: University of Arkansas Union Theatre
Getting ID Right: More Response to the Beliefnet Review of Signature in the Cell
The second, third, and fourth installments of the review of Steve Meyer’s book Signature in the Cell are up over at Beliefnet. (I responded to the first installment here.) Although this series appears on Scot McKnight’s Jesus Creed blog, they’re written by anonymous blogger “RJS.” I’m guessing that RJS is a scientist, or is in a sensitive academic position, and doesn’t want to risk banishment for saying reasonable things about an ID argument. If so, that tells us something of the social pressures against writing publicly about this issue.
Launch of Explore Evolution “Further Debate” Website
Since its publication in 2007, the innovative science textbook Explore Evolution: The Case For and Against Neo-Darwinism has helped trailblaze a new way of teaching about evolution, one based on Charles Darwin’s own acknowledgment that “a fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question.” The original goal of Explore Evolution was to provoke discussion about Darwinian evolution, and provoke discussion it has! This week Discovery Institute launches an extensive “Further Debate” website inspired by the book in the hope of encouraging even more discussion. The new site offers cogent responses to a variety of reviews of the book issued by Darwinists over the past two years, including Read More ›
Discovery Institute Announces 2nd Annual Academic Freedom Day on Charles Darwin’s Birthday
Fresh on the heels of Darwin Year, Discovery Institute announces the launch of the 2nd Annual Academic Freedom Day in honor of Charles Darwin’s birthday, February 12, 2010. Yes, it’s that time of year again, and Discovery Institute is gearing up for the celebration by supporting what Darwin supported: academic freedom. Academic Freedom Day couldn’t come at a better time, as academic freedom is threatened around the country. We have seen Darwinists launch cyber attacks on a pro-ID conference website in Colorado and engage in an illegal coverup in the censorship of a pro-ID film in California.It’s time like these when Darwin’s own words should instruct everyone on how to have an open and honest debate over evolution and intelligent Read More ›