Recently, the courts in California upheld the right of the University of California system to deny credit for courses taught at certain Christian high schools. The opinion included, but was not limited to, those biology courses which taught intelligent design and creationism as competing scientific theories - competing, of course, with evolution. I've posted the CNN report about this on my Facebook page, and you can probably get more information by visiting the Panda's Thumb or doing an internet search.
Intelligent Design and creationism (really, they're the same thing) have consistently done badly in the courts. Typically, they run afoul of the 1st amendment. I happen to agree with the courts on this one - to me it would be a violation of the spirit of the 1st amendment to require public schools to teach a particular (Christian) perspective on origins - especially in a science class.
However, the California courts really were supporting a different view - public universities can refuse to accept certain versions of history and science promoted by private schools. The implications of this are certainly interesting: a student would attend a private school at her own risk - risking rejection by public universities because of what she'd been taught in her private school. Perhaps some of you attended private schools - I wonder what your thoughts are....?
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