School Board Ends Evolution Warning Drive

Georgia School Abandons Defense Of Cautionary Stickers On Science Books

(AP)  A school board in suburban Atlanta has given up on its years-long defense of placing stickers critical of the theory of evolution on high school science books.

The Cobb County school board signed an agreement filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday agreeing never to use a similar sticker or to undermine the teaching of evolution in science classes.

In return, plaintiffs who sued the board agreed to drop all legal action.

"We certainly think that it's a win not just for our clients but for all students in Cobb County and, really, all residents of Georgia," said Beth Littrell, associate legal director with the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.

The school board placed the stickers on the cover of biology books in 2002 after a group of parents complained that evolution was being taught to the exclusion of other theories, including the Biblical story of creation.

The stickers read, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper ordered the stickers be removed in 2005, saying they convey an "impermissible message of endorsement" of religion, despite not specifically mentioning it.

[marcpcbs]

Lets see now;

We have the flat earth society and we have those who say the periodic table doesn't exist and then we have a huge group of people who say drugs in the schools is a good thing and now we have an entire state in the US saying that Cause and effect, (evolution), doesn't occur.

And I thought there was only one kind of blindness.

Foolish Me

[randalds]

It's about time! It sure took them a long time to drop this fight, but that's evolution for you!

Certainly a big blow against Bush's second biggest base (after the filthy rich) though. Of course anyone could see this coming. I mean after all how do you explain a half man half chimp like Bush with evolution?

[billpl-2009]

Religion IS living proof of evolution!

...some people still haven't lost their monkey brains

In the beginning we were all fish. Then two fish had a *** baby which was different so it lived. Eventually there were only *** fish and they kept having *** babies. One generation of babies had little *** fin/legs, and used them to crawl up out of the water. IT had a *** baby which was a *** fish frog which had buttsex with a monkey and they had a fish/frog/monkey/*** baby. It had buttsex with a bunch of different monkeys and that was a human. So your all the children of a retarded fish/frog/monkey having buttsex with bunch of monkeys. and then that fish/frog/monkey/*** baby, who in fact happened to be your mother, made another retarded baby, which surprisingly is you.

[ukpeaches1]

"It is really sad to see our country trying to throw our God out of everything. It's ok to teach a child the ways of atheistic evolutionists but it's not ok to let them read their Bible in school."

Our God? I think you'll find that there are more than just Christians living in the U.S., and in fact the First Amendment to the Constitution says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

How about some respect for people who don't accept the Bible as their holy book? How about respect for people who believe in a different idea about creation? It really irks me when people claim to be "christian" yet are so intolerant of other people and their beliefs. If there is a God, he (or she) is weeping because of what people do in His (or Her) name.

Get a life people.

[rillifane]

The statement should have been banned because it is misleading.

The description of Evolution as a "theory" in no way detracts from its truthfulness. The attempt to foster the false dichotomy is the work of people who are either idiots or charlatans.

There are no more than a tiny handful of individuals educated in the sciences who dispute the broad general principles of Evolution and almost all of those disputants are obviously mentally unstable.

If Evolution is untrue then almost every understanding of modern science must also be untrue. So called Creationism and "Intelligent Design" are laughable nonsense. They both are not merely bad science but not science at all.

[Syndicate]

Evolution is fact like it or not. As for god in school. No thanks! I don't want my kids exposed to that BS. The public school system is the only school were I can send them and not have to worry about some one trying to teach them about some imaginary god. Keep it up and I might just take up the god thing in the pledge and unlike Newdow I don't have custody issues to skirt the issue on.

ncolsens: You do know that rant is from south park and was meant to mock YOU?

If American kids were taught creationism only, within a couple of generations India and China would completely dominate us. It is fine to have your own beliefs, and Christianity is fine, but just don't let it get in the way of science.

[raymimsjr]

All sides (liberals, conservatives, Christians, Atheists, etc.) have completely missed the point - how much tax payer money was spent (wasted) to defend and/or bring this lawsuit?

How much of this money *COULD HAVE* been spent educating our children?

Please, don't be bigoted by blaming Bush, the South, or American morons - the blame lies within each of us by wanting to place the blame on anyone else but ourselves. We now reap what we have sown - stupidity, and a lack of moral and ethical conscience. What is, is *OUR* fault. And if you don't understand that, then God help you.

Let's leave science in the schools and God at church. After all, we don't teach calculus at Sunday School, but we *** sure need to teach compassion, morals and ethics in our schools.

Bottom line, even Rome fell. For us, it will happen sooner.

[billpl-2009]

Hitler executes 3 million Jews and he's considered the evilest man who ever lived
(rightfully so)

God executes the entire population of the earth except for 2
and we teach to 5 year olds kids and use it as coloring book materal in Sunday school

...go figure

[gramto7]

BILLPL WROTE:
God executes the entire population of the earth except for 2
and we teach to 5 year olds kids and use it as coloring book materal in Sunday school

If you were, by chance, referring to Noah flood, you are wrong. Noah's wife, three sons and their wives were all in the ark. If there is another episode mentioned, please remind me, as I cannot think of one right now.

BTW, I consider myself a Christian, but I firmly believe in evolution as discussed by true scientists, not by the idiots who think the Grand Canyon was made in a couple of hundred years. I am in awe of the face that our planet is a small speck in a small galaxy among BILLIONS of galaxies. My favorite pictures are those from Hubble Space Telescope showing deep space and knowing that even the tiniest spots of light are even more galaxies!

cbscrash07 yes I know thanks

gramto11

yea, but god killed innocent children because of who their parents were (sinners). I was raised christain. After discussing these inconsistencies with my pastor, and being told to just have faith, i felt duped.

But on evolution. I agree with raymimsjr. Let's leave god at church and science in schools. After all, christainity has not stopped since religion has left school.

More important: not everyone is a christain.

[observantx]

Dear Cobb County School Board:

Welcome to the 21st century.

Thank you for finally seeing the wisdom of putting religion in its correct place. Religion belongs in church and within each of us. It does not belong in the classroom, unless the subject is being studied is religion. And when studying religion let me borrow a part of your book sticker caution. Quote: %u201CThis material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

Our country was founded on many principals, one of which was freedom of religion. That also implies that we each have a choice of being free of religion if we so chose. That means we all have the right to be left alone and not lectured at, proselytized or discriminated against for not practicing your particular form of religion.

ObservantX,

I couldn't have said it better.

[adventurepa]

Religion is ment to distract you from the real issues, corruption and problems we face.
Religious people are easy to control with the belief in superstition and the super natural.

"If you have a belief in a God; then whoever or whatever tells you who God is, or what God is (like), controls you."

However I would like to see a new science book published, with the latest finds and discoveries of evolution and have that new information be taught in schools.
The old information is a little out dated.

Just because the answer is "the unknown" does not mean the answer has to be god.

[wamerritt]

For you UKPeaches1, Not only does the statement not mention Christianity, but it does not exclude the creation accounts of other religions either. For you howzilla, "Something" does not come from "nothing". For you Rillifane, Since the statement does not detract from the "truth" as you put it, why does it bother you so? the statemant is factual, idf it points to something other than what you believe to be true , maybe you should reconsider you belief. For you, cbscrash07, When was the last time you saw a new species come into being? Where's the fossil record? The 2nd law of Thermal Dynamics says that things don't move from disoder to order, but the other way around. Evolution is theory which goes against an observable Law. For you billpl, Hitler was just a man, who killed because of racism, GOD is GOD, who destroyed his own creation because of Sin. For you gramto11, You can't have it both ways, either you believe or you don't.

I do not believe evolution is perfect. NO Theory is. It is however the best TESTABLE theory we have for how life on earth has come to be.

saying an intelligient 'being' created things cannot be proved and therefore should not be taught as a theory. A theory has some observable fact.

And: if you look at current mutations of viruses and bacteria you will see evolution in action.

[grumpas]

raymimsjr I would much rather see taxpayer's money wasted on lawsuit's like this than one's that supposedly teach moral's. Most of these so called do gooders who want to teach moral's have none! It has been my experience that religion does not necessarily mean that you have large amount of moral's yourself! By that I mean know the difference between right and wrong and practice it daily. We live in one of the most morally corrupt societies on the planet. It isn't coming from promiscuity due to ***. It's coming from the those people who claim to be Christian's with high moral standards. Who don't see anything wrong with a President who lies, cheats and steals. Who have wholeheartedly supported him even though they know he is corrupt because he pushes their agenda. You really think their children don't notice things like this? I am a firm believer that in order to teach children moral's you have to practice them yourself. So, therefore it's going to be difficult to teach children moral's in a classroom when they are affected by things they see going on at home. No doubt some parents are going to undo everything the child was taught in a classroom by their behavior.

[grumpas]

By the way Christianity is a theory not a provable fact! Do they also want to put a sticker on Bible's that says "This is a theory and not proven fact"! Of coarse they don't!

[wamerritt]

To amerigirl28, You're right, creation is not a theory, it is part of a faith. It cannot be proven. The created can not prove the creator. Our best evidence of a creator is our own existance. Evolution is our attempt to explain our existance apart from a creator. It presumes prejudicially that there is no GOD. It is faith in reverse. Faith that there is no GOD. It takes great faith to believe that we came from nothing and developed into all that we are.

singinrick

thank you! I am not above learning something new!

[lilbullqt]

I find it funny how people want to try to throw God and the teachings of the Bible out, but, welcome teachings of evolution. What about us Christian parents who don't want our kids being taught these things. The ones that can't afford private schools. Where are our rights, and, the rights of our chidren?

[lilbullqt]

I find it funny how people want to try to throw God and the teachings of the Bible out, but, welcome teachings of evolution. What about us Christian parents who don't want our kids being taught these things. The ones that can't afford private schools. Where are our rights, and, the rights of our chidren?

[lilbullqt]

I find it funny how people want to try to throw God and the teachings of the Bible out, but, welcome teachings of evolution. What about us Christian parents who don't want our kids being taught these things. The ones that can't afford private schools. Where are our rights, and, the rights of our chidren?

[passerby2]

that's why you have churches! If you don't want them to learn evolution take them out of the science classes.

[passerby2]

hey singinrick,

earth is not floating...if you studied a little harder in science instead of being preoccupied by intelligent design, you'll learn a little something about the laws of gravity.

[passerby2]

if you've heard them all, then why do you still believe in god? so silly :)

but really I don't believe in god and if kids want to learn about god they can go to church, some of us just don't want to learn it cause we don't believe in it, if we did watn to learn about god then we'd go to church and school at the same time. You guys are the ones trying to force your ideas on to us. why don't you start teaching evolution in church also so the kids can decide.

it doesn't bother me that you believe in god, but i don't so don't push it on me.

[passerby2]

one more thing, do you even know what the truth is, all you're going by is what the bible tells you.

[passerby2]

you guys always get pushed into a corner in an argument and then you end up saying "you can't accept God if you don't believe in him". Just follow blindly and you'll be okay, seems to be you guys strongest argument.

[passerby2]

singinrick, you can't accept evolution if you don't believe in it

[passerby2]

singinrick,
one more thing, about being a dictator...god sends you to hell if you don't believe in him, because only those who believe gets to go to heaven when the apocalypse comes, is not different from Hitler telling the Jews, that if they're not like him, they get sent to the concentration camps....think about that

I think there is a valid reason for the separation of church and state.

That is really the issue here. Saying that the universe was created by an all powerful being adds religion (simply because we cannot say: well, who is this being?)

Also: there should be balance between family rights and school responsibility. It is the responsibility of schools to educate our students about the world around them.

It is the parent's job to help that child make sense of what they learn in school. I am an English teacher. Whenever something is discussed in class that is controversial, I welcome parent input and tell them I will provide an objective view of the situation, not endorsing any one view.

If parents have open lines of communication, schools could teach that the devil was actually god and children would not be affected because their parents would help them make sense of things.

[passerby2]

tell god, if he wants me to believe in him, to come and see me.

[billpl-2009]

singenrick:

I believe in God
God created science
God created the universe
God created man

I believe God created man to live his/her life here on earth
to grow, to prosper, to love and enjoy the fruits of his labor
What God does with us after we perish
well, that's his business

God already IS in our science
God already IS in our schools
God IS the very essence of life itself
we don't need your bible
...it proves nothing

[passerby2]

singinrick,

can I ask you why hitler hated the jews so much?

[passerby2]

if god created all things then he must have created this so called hell for those who condemn themselves by sins. but I live my life fair and just, but yet i don't get saved from the apocalypse because i don't believe in god???huh??how did i condemn myself by not believing in him? God's a dictator, singinrick. it's easy to encapsulate everything in god, anything you can't answer blame it on god, it's the easy road out, it's just god's will, haha bs.

[passerby2]

singinrick,

was it god's will to have all those people die on 911? or did he just lose a game of rock-paper-scissors to Allah? how can anyone do anything in the name of god, any god? All this pointless pain and suffering. People who follow blindly, just so...i don't know

[passerby2]

so you believing in him is just an insurance policy so that you won't go to hell. I've heard of this justification before. you don't really believe in god, you just don't want to go to hell. so it's just an insurance policy, even though deep down inside you really know that god does not exist, you give up what you truly believe, you give up on yourself, just so you won't go to hell. Who the hell is christ, i owe him nothing no one asked him to die for my sins or whatever. he is just like god to me, just another fictitious character.

[pakaal]

The end to one very painful reminder of how desperate the Christianists (as opposed to the Christians) are to force their personal beliefs on everyone else. It's great to know that they are so happy about their religion that they want to share it, but when they try to peddle faith as fact, something has to be done.

The worst part of all this controversy is that Christianists have yet to explain how explaining away science as "God did it!" is of any use to our scientific progress. Have a confusing biology problem? Don't worry, God did it! Problems with balance in the environment? Global warming? Don't worry, God planned it that way!

With any luck these attempts to undermine American progress in the field of science are finally reaching an end. Love God as much as you want, but let's try to follow the words of the Bible on this one. Matthew 6:5-6 "Do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.... When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret."

[passerby2]

bible says this, the bible says that...I can see that your life revolves around the bible, so I wish you luck and i bid you adieu, because I don't want to hear anymore of god's sayings. you believe in what you believe and i believe in what i believe. you have a place to teach god, church and i want a place to learn free of god, school, so please don't force the issue, thank you.

[pakaal]

singinrick, regarding your belief that America is a Christian country, please read the Treaty of Tripoli %u2015 Ratified by the Senate and signed into law by John Adams on 10 June, 1797.
"[T]he Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion..."

Also George Washington:

"No one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution."

Also, Benjamin Franklin:

"As to Jesus of Nazareth, I have...some Doubts as to his Divinity. I see no harm, however, in its being believed. I do not perceive, that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the Unbelievers...with any peculiar Marks of his Displeasure...."

Also, John Adams, second President:

"It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service [formation of the American governments] had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven..."

Most of the founding fathers were Deists, not Christians. Deists did not believe in the virgin birth, divinity, or resurrection of Jesus, the efficacy of prayer, the miracles of the Bible, or even the divine inspiration of the Bible. Just for your information....

[pakaal]

singinrick, in no sense should you say I asserted that "God is the answer", just so we're clear.

The problem with today's society is NOT that the people living in it have become completely engulfed with humanistic approach towards things, it's that the gradual evolution in consciousness which allows us to see fact more clearly in the context of scientific understanding is hampered by fringe elements in Christianity who continue to try to replace fact with faith.

Believe what you want, that's your right, but don't impose your beliefs on the rest of us.

[pakaal]

"The majority of evolutionists are atheists, by the way...in case you didn't know."

Evolution is accepted by all but a tiny minority of religious zealots who for some reason have decided to treat the morality stories and other myths in the Bible as the literal truth. Attempting to subvert science to fuel a religious agenda is reprehensible. What any scientist's personal beliefs are has no bearing on the issue - science. Stop trying to render unto Caesar what is God's.

[pakaal]

Uh oh, Rick stopped singin'....

[pakaal]

"Isn't it funny how offended you get when God is mentioned???"

I'd love to find out where you got the impression I was offended by you or anyone mentioning God. I'm offended when people try to force their own personal faith into our public educational system.

"Our money says "One nation under God" on it, and we say "One Nation Under God" in our pledge of allegiance, not to mention the fact that people swear in on the Bible while in courts of law...."

Yes, I read your post earlier. The pledge of allegiance was revised in 1954 adding "Under God" because Joe McCarthy wanted to make a point to the "Godless Russians". It was a political move, not spiritual. US coinage didn't have "In God We Trust" added until the Civil War. Oh, and in case you didn't hear, we just added swearing in on the Koran to the list of books we can swear upon. Finally, I direct you to my earlier post which explains that America is NOT a Christian country, even though the majority of her citizens are.

"I haven't noticed one ounce of the word "Love" in your posts, by the way."

If it helps to clear up the issue, I believe fervently in Jesus' two Commandments, and apply them in my everyday life. I write on these boards precisely because I love those who post here, and the readers, and the non-readers, and the Christians, and the Muslims, and the Buddhists. I love everyone, pretty much.

[pakaal]

"I say believe what you want to believe."

Absolutely, but the story here was about putting a sticker on public school books, trying to assert that belief in one specific brand of Christianity equals scientific fact. Once again, believe what you want - just don't try to assert your personal beliefs as fact or science.

[randalds]

Satan sure is winning the minds of people who refuse to believe in God Almighty.

Wow. Unreal.
Posted by singinrick at 12:51 AM : Dec 20, 2006

There is no Satan and no God. They are fairy tales told to teach stupid people about things they don't understand, like the creation of the universe and evolution and to keep them in line. They are myths as much as the Norse gods or Sun gods or any of the other garbage other people have come up with to explain the unknown and undiscovered. Science is real, god is not. Deal with it.

[randalds]

Oh and before you suggest it Rick, I have read the bible. Cover to cover. Several times. Good book. Lots of wars, ***, incest and bloody sacrifices. Would make a good scifi movie.

[childofgod28]

Wow, I'm so suprised how people act when you mention God... Everyone gets upset if you talk about how wonderful He is. For example, singinrick was just explaining to you how God is just, and how the Bible is the truth. He wasn't forcing it down your throats. The funny thing is, when someone mentions God, most of you on this board act like we just slapped you in the face or something... Why? I ask do you all get offended? I agree with everything Singinrick says. I don't think he said anything wrong. He is doing what us as Christians should do, and that is witness to people about God, and to praise God, and not be ashamed to do it.. God created us to worship Him... Love and God Bless everyone, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!