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Evolution debate: a sign of hope?
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(from nytimes.com)

"All eight members up for re-election to the Pennsylvania school board that had been sued for introducing the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in biology class were swept out of office yesterday by a slate of challengers who campaigned against the intelligent design policy.

Among the losing incumbents on the Dover, Pa., board were two members who testified in favor of the intelligent design policy at a recently concluded federal trial on the Dover policy: the chairwoman, Sheila Harkins, and Alan Bonsell.

The election results were a repudiation of the first school district in the nation to order the introduction of intelligent design in a science class curriculum. The policy was the subject of a trial in Federal District Court that ended last Friday. A verdict by Judge John E. Jones III is expected by early January.

"I think voters were tired of the trial, they were tired of intelligent design, they were tired of everything that this school board brought about," said Bernadette Reinking, who was among the winners.

The election will not alter the facts on which the judge must decide the case. But if the intelligent design policy is defeated in court, the new school board could refuse to pursue an appeal. It could also withdraw the policy, a step that many challengers said they intended to take.

"We are all for it being discussed, but we do not want to see it in biology class," said Judy McIlvaine, a member of the winning slate. "It is not a science."

The vote counts were close, but of the 16 candidates the one with the fewest votes was Mr. Bonsell, the driving force behind the intelligent design policy. Testimony at the trial revealed that Mr. Bonsell had initially insisted that creationism get equal time in the classroom with evolution."

A return to sanity by the good citizens of Dover, PA. Well done, and thanks.

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"Go yell at an M&M"
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Re: Evolution debate: a sign of hope? [klehner] [ In reply to ]
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One step back, one step forward. Such is life.

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Re: Evolution debate: a sign of hope? [klehner] [ In reply to ]
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I'm a science teacher about an hour from there and it's very encouraging because this is a very conservative area. I think it simply shows that people can be "faithful" and still want evolution taught in high school and religion (ie. intelligent design) left to the experts.

Knowing this area I would bet 95% of the people who voted them out attend church on a weekly basis.
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