Here's a cluster of news stories and testimony excerpts from this very important court case in PA.  I can't take my eyes off it, if intelligent design wackos win, they could be coming to my school next…

Mon 9/26

From 'Intelligent Design' Court Battle Begins (AP via Yahoo News):

…”It's the first movement to try to drive a wedge between students and the scientific process,” said Brown University's Kenneth Miller, the first witness called Monday…

…”This case is about free inquiry in education, not about a religious agenda,” said Patrick Gillen of the Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., in his opening statement. The center, which lobbies for what it sees as the religious freedom of Christians, is defending the school district.

“Dover's modest curriculum change embodies the essence of liberal education,” Gillen said…

…”I have yet to see any explanation advanced by any adherent of design that says we have positive evidence for design,” [Miller] said.

The statement read to Dover students states that “because Darwin's theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered. The theory is not a fact.” Miller said the statement is “tremendously damaging,” falsely undermining the scientific status of evolution…

“There is no controversy within science over the core proposition of evolutionary theory,” he added. On the other hand, he said, “Intelligent design is not a testable theory in any sense and as such it is not accepted by the scientific community.”…

…During cross-examination, Robert Muise, another attorney for the law center, repeatedly asked Miller whether he questioned the completeness of Darwin's theory.

“Would you agree that Darwin's theory is not the absolute truth?” Muise asked.

“We don't regard any scientific theory as the absolute truth,” Miller said…

Science isn't about “Absolute Truth” and any scientific theory is up for revision or abandonment as observations come in.  Can the same be said of intelligent design?  Doesn't look like it, because as the evidence for evolution literally POURS into the domain of science, the intelligent design wackos refuse to reconsider their theory.

They just point out the gaps in the evolutionary record or the aspects of evolution we haven't explored yet as if that somehow makes intelligent design a better candidate.  If it were a valid scientific theory intelligent design should be able to stand up to testing on it's own.  But intelligent design can't be tested, ergo it is not science, and doesn't belong in the classroom.  If you want absolute truth, go to church, dammit and quit trying to worm your shit into public schools.

Tue 9/27

From Witness Says Pa. Board Was Anti-Evolution (AP via Yahoo News):

…The school district argues it is letting students know there are differences of opinion about evolution, not endorsing any religious view.

[Plaintiff and former Dover School Board member Aralene "Barrie"] Callahan testified that board member Alan Bonsell — during a retreat in 2003 — “expressed he did not believe in evolution and if evolution was part of the biology curriculum, creationism had to be shared 50-50.”

At a school board meeting in June 2004, when she was no longer on the board, Callahan recalled board member Bill Buckingham complaining that a biology book recommended by the administration was “laced with Darwinism.”

“They were pretty much downplaying evolution as something that was credible,” she said.

In the lawsuit challenging the intelligent design policy, Buckingham was further quoted as saying: “This country was founded on Christianity and our students should be taught as such.”…

…In other testimony Tuesday, plaintiff Tammy Kitzmiller said that in January, her younger daughter chose not to hear the intelligent-design statement — an option given all students — putting her in an awkward position.

“My 14-year-old daughter had to make the choice between staying in the classroom and being confused … or she had to be singled out and face the possible ridicule of her friends and classmates,” she said…

“Laced with Darwinism”… like Darwin is a drug, yo. Sounds more like the school board was “laced with fundies”.

Wed 9/28

From Professor Testifies in Evolution Debate (AP via Yahoo News):

…Robert T. Pennock, a professor of science and philosophy at Michigan State University, testified … “As scientists go about their business, they follow a method, … Intelligent design wants to reject that and so it doesn't really fall within the purview of science.”

Pennock said intelligent design does not belong in a science class, but added that it could possibly be addressed in other types of courses…

Yeah, like MYTHOLOGY 101.

Thu 9/29

More from Pennock (I love this guy) and a scary tidbit from one of the parents.

From Intelligent design a religious notion, scientist testifies (Kansas City Star):

…”Even if [proponents] don't explicitly say 'God'… and simply say a 'transcendent power,' intelligent design is a religious concept,” said Robert Pennock…

…Pennock said that if intelligent design, which promotes the idea that the universe is so complex it must have been created by an intelligent being, was accepted as a legitimate part of science education, it would “turn us back to an earlier era.”…

…”Intelligent design is a form of creationism,” he said. “It cannot have natural explanations.”…

…[Some] plaintiffs said their families had been harmed by the effects of the new policy.

“Intelligent design is not a scientific concept, it's a religious concept,” [Dover resident Christy] Rehm said. “I reserve the right to teach my children about religion, not the school system.”

Plaintiff Julie Smith of York said she became alarmed when her 10th-grade daughter came home from school last year and said: “Evolution is a lie. What kind of Christian are you?”

She said she asked her daughter why she had said that, and her daughter responded that as a Christian, she could not believe in evolution…

Yeesh.  This is what happens when you equate science with “belief” or science with “politics”… you get a society woefully ignorant about what differentiates science from other (less credible) forms of belief.  Science just becomes another kind of hoodoo.  Spooky shit.

You know this one will go to the Supreme Court… neither side is going to give up if it loses.  Oh yeah, the Supreme Court, remember them?  Bush's other second-term project?