Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Cobb County Victory
Earlier today, the Cobb County school board in suburban Atlanta abandoned its legal fight to place stickers calling into question Darwin's theory of evolution on biology textbooks.
After waging a four-year battle, the board agreed in federal court "never to use a similar sticker or to undermine the teaching of evolution in science classes," according to the Associated Press.
Update: Reaction from Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State can be found here.A federal judge ordered the stickers removed in 2005, saying they amount to an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. The school board appealed, but a federal appeals court sent the case back, saying it did not have enough information.
"We faced the distraction and expense of starting all over with more legal actions and another trial," said board chairwoman Teresa Plenge. "With this agreement, it is done and we now have a clean slate for the new year."
Further Update: National Center for Science Education responds to settlement.
