Forrest discusses KITZMILLER on Science Friday


Barbara Forrest appeared on Talk of the Nation's Science Friday on December 23, 2005, to discuss the decision in Kitzmiller v. Dover. Forrest, who testified on the history of the "intelligent design" movement on behalf of the plaintiffs, told the show's host Ira Flatow, "I'm very happy about the judge's ruling. I'm not totally surprised because I noticed that all along the way, whenever he would issue rulings in response to motions, they were very thoughtful, very carefully done. And so I along the way, very early, developed a lot of respect for the way this judge was proceeding. I certainly did not try to second-guess him as to what the ultimate decision would be, but I think it really sets a benchmark for judicial excellence and integrity, especially with respect to this issue."

Responding to a question about the influence of the Kitzmiller decision, Forrest said, "You have to hope that it sends a very strong message, and I think undoubtedly it will to some school boards and maybe even most of them." But, she added, "one of the things that we know from the history of creationism and the religious right in general is that they tend not to pay attention to court rulings. ... The good thing about Judge Jones's ruling, though, is that it didn't leave the intelligent design/creationists much room to morph. What creationists usually do ... in response to their losses in court is that they change themselves into something a little bit different, but I don't think they have much room to do that after Judge Jones's ruling."

Asked by Flatow whether she would be testifying in future court cases, Forrest replied, "Oh, I would expect so. I guess right now, you know, I'm looking to the next occasion when I might have to put, you know, what I have learned to use. And I expect that this will not be the last time." Ohio, Kansas, and Gull Lake, Michigan, were all mentioned as possibilities. Ending the segment, Flatow wished Forrest a good holiday season, to which she answered, mischievously, "And as we say now, Merry Kitzmas." Forrest is Professor of Philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University and a member of NCSE's board of directors; with Paul R. Gross she wrote Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design (Oxford University Press, 2004).