Posted on 08/12/2008 6:49:07 PM PDT by SmithL
SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge says the University of California can deny course credit to applicants from Christian high schools whose textbooks declare the Bible infallible and reject evolution.
Rejecting claims of religious discrimination and stifling of free expression, U.S. District Judge James Otero of Los Angeles said UC's review committees cited legitimate reasons for rejecting the texts - not because they contained religious viewpoints, but because they omitted important topics in science and history and failed to teach critical thinking.
Otero's ruling Friday, which focused on specific courses and texts, followed his decision in March that found no anti-religious bias in the university's system of reviewing high school classes. Now that the lawsuit has been dismissed, a group of Christian schools has appealed Otero's rulings to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
"It appears the UC is attempting to secularize private religious schools," attorney Jennifer Monk of Advocates for Faith and Freedom said today. Her clients include the Association of Christian Schools International, two Southern California high schools and several students.
Charles Robinson, the university's vice president for legal affairs, said the ruling "confirms that UC may apply the same admissions standards to all students and to all high schools without regard to their religious affiliations." What the plaintiffs seek, he said, is a "religious exemption from regular admissions standards."
The suit, filed in 2005, challenged UC's review of high school courses taken by would-be applicants to the 10-campus system. Most students qualify by taking an approved set of college preparatory classes; students whose courses lack UC approval can remain eligible by scoring well in those subjects on the Scholastic Assessment Test.
Christian schools in the suit accused the university of rejecting courses that include any religious viewpoint, "any instance of God's guidance
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
“Extra credit would be given to the applicant coming from a muzzie high school.”
And they would need it ...
You’re gonna get flamed.............ok...........we are gonna get flamed.
I agree with you.
“failed to teach critical thinking”
What is this, an example of sarcasm?
Public schools haven’t taught critical thinking in more than a generation. That’s why they have policies like ‘zero tolerance’ and such. It’s also why the populace is so enamored with a naive, inexperienced candidate like BO.
Yes, Students need to know macro-evolution isn’t scientific, it’s not verifiable and repeatable. DNA in all species is losing information and becoming defective because of mutations. All so-called micro-evolution or adaption is only possible because the genetic information is already present in the DNA to accommodate changes in environment.
The decision sounds quite reasonable.
It’s “free expression” if it’s what they want you to express.
Not sure about the California system but from my recent experience at the University the last thing the Professors teach is critical thinking, in fact they will often do everything possible to discourage or silence critical thinking.
The Christian textbooks we use teach what evolution is. They also argue against it. To the point, my students are aware of the basic arguments of evolutionary theory. They also get it nonstop from the news and public tv documentaries.
“The decision sounds quite reasonable. . .”
except for the fact that those of us who think critically of evolution are being discriminated against for thinking critically.
Probably not. They're creationist too and therefore would be in the same boat as you.
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Another district judge in the 9th Circuis... and all this means is that the formality of losing at the DJ level, and losing at the Circuis level must be pursued, before appealing to SCOTUS. What a waste of time.
Clearly this decision is typical 9th circuis nuttery.
Activist judges; judicial review; judicial oversight...Has anyone ever heard of impeaching Court Justices ?...that is the balance of power where the legislature can limit the tyranny of the bench...So why isn’t this used more in the United States?...we sit back and wring our hands when many State Constitutions give the people the right of Impeachment, or Recall.....We may have to start doing that if the courts insist on making more and more untenable rulings..People need to wake up..
New tagline tonight
>>>...because they omitted important topics in science and history and failed to teach critical thinking.
>>>The decision sounds quite reasonable.
Look: If the Left cannot concede that the “Theory of Evolution” is, in actuality, a THEORY, then there is nothing left to discuss. If, however, the left does acknowledge that a “theory” is a theory, then it must accept that it has not been successfully subjected to a scientific proof. Therefore, there is plenty of room for disagreement.
If this dipwad district judge is taking the “legal” and “constitutional” position that there can be no disagreement as to issues that are not, and can not be considered settled, then he should packs his bags and go home. Disagreement is the essence of the First Amendment (freedom of speech), the right to disagree.
To require that the acceptability of college credits (all other things being equal) hinge upon falling in line with a form of political and sociological indoctrination (that a “theory” is a “fact” indisputable) is clearly a violation of freedom of speech (and necessarily, of thought). The 1st Amendment, again, gets tossed out by this dingaling.
Are Creationists asking for credit for sciences that they don't believe in? If so, I agree with the judge.
Forgot to add a citation...Here is one:
http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=104
There are others found on Google on these same matters if impeachment and recall of Judges..
#1 SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge says the University of California can deny course credit to applicants from Christian high schools whose textbooks declare the Bible infallible and reject evolution. If this was in fact the ruling it makes teaching Christian doctrine on this subject the object of discrimination
#2 Rejecting claims of religious discrimination and stifling of free expression, U.S. District Judge James Otero of Los Angeles said UC's review committees cited legitimate reasons for rejecting the texts - not because they contained religious viewpoints, but because they omitted important topics in science and history and failed to teach critical thinking. This is a different issue than #1 above.
As to critical thinking, uncritical acceptance of evolution, is not critical thinking.
You fail to distinguish between the common usage of the word, “theory,” and the scientific usage, and use the word inappropriately when describing the Theory of Evolution. Since most of your reply is based upon this inappropriate usage, this you may wish to clarify just what exactly you mean.
-—”However, it is silly to say someone is fully qualified to take college level biology without a working knowledge of evolution. “-—
Well, I don’t know about that. I had all of one Biology class in High School, and wound up taking 16 credit hours of it in College. Wasn’t really until my second college class that Evolution really started to come up in any active fashion.
Most HS Biology is very basic, and touches more on cells and basic genetics than anything more complicated. I don’t remember touching much on Evolution in HS, nor any reason a Creationist would object to the class.
I would suggest an entry exam solution for the University. Include basic Evolutionary Theory and its principles on the College Entry exam. If the Private School Students are truly being deprived education on the topic, then they’ll test their way out of the University before getting there. Or just make a test specific for this occasion: an exam required in order to receive those desired credits if you come from a Private High School in question.
I find it hard to believe that no compromise could have been made by the University. How many students get history credits while having never been taught many critical elements of history? I sure knew a few.
I have a problem with the judge declaring qualifications of schools in general, and I have a problem with the University not giving the students a chance to prove they did learn the required information from their school.
But yes, it is important to have a working knowledge of the Theory of Evolution, even for those who do not believe in it.
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