Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Potosi School District Goes Ahead With Creationist Lectures
Mike Riddle, president of Christian Training and Development Services for the young earth creationist group, Answers in Genesis, met with high school science classes for 50-minute assemblies first, second and third hours in the Potosi High School library, yesterday. He also visited science classes at John A. Evans Middle School in southeast Missouri, according to Paula Barr of The Daily Journal.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which sent the district a letter Friday demanding it cancel the events, has now requested all communication and planning records from the district relating to Riddle's appearances after the district refused to cancel the events.
“This is not about science versus religion, it's about parents making the decision about their children's religious education, not the government,” said Richard B. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United. “We have seen over and over that the courts have said this is illegal.”
“I'm familiar with Mr. Riddle's presentations, and he tries to create doubt in students' minds in what they've learned, so the only answer they can turn to is the Biblical explanation,” Katskee said. “In the Dover (Pennsylvania) case, there was no mention of God or the Bible in anything that was said to the students there, either.”
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which sent the district a letter Friday demanding it cancel the events, has now requested all communication and planning records from the district relating to Riddle's appearances after the district refused to cancel the events.
“This is not about science versus religion, it's about parents making the decision about their children's religious education, not the government,” said Richard B. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United. “We have seen over and over that the courts have said this is illegal.”
“I'm familiar with Mr. Riddle's presentations, and he tries to create doubt in students' minds in what they've learned, so the only answer they can turn to is the Biblical explanation,” Katskee said. “In the Dover (Pennsylvania) case, there was no mention of God or the Bible in anything that was said to the students there, either.”
