AU remembers Kitzmiller

Americans United logoAs the tenth anniversary of the decision in Kitzmiller v. Dover approaches, Americans United for Separation of Church and State commemorated the occasion with "Science Lessons," published in the December 2015 issue of Church & State.

After reviewing the ruling, which established the unconstitutionality of teaching "intelligent design" creationism in the public schools, the editorial commented, "It's worthwhile to celebrate this ruling on the occasion of its 10-year anniversary. The members and supporters of Americans United, the ACLU and the National Center for Science Education should be proud of the work that was done in this landmark case."

But it also observed that, "As satisfying as the victory was, the Kitzmiller case didn't end the dispute over evolution in public schools," citing a recent episode in Glendive, Montana, where there were plans to take a group of third graders on a field trip to a local creationist "museum." The editorial concluded, "We must vow to make sure that our children in public schools are taught modern science untainted by dogma. There must be no more Dovers."

Further recollections of and reflections on the Kitzmiller trial are offered in the latest issue of Reports of the NCSE (volume 35, number 6), which features articles by Lauri Lebo, Jennifer Miller, Kenneth R. Miller, Eric Rothschild, and Eugenie C. Scott.