“Religious Bigotry” in West Virginia?

Almost three months after a controversial resolution was voted down by the Kanawha County school board in West Virginia, (see AiG article), three creationists find themselves in another public controversy. According to an article in the January 26, 2000 edition of the Charleston (WV) Gazette, a science textbook committee—which includes these three creationists—will be meeting to “advise teachers and school board members” which books the state of West Virginia will recommend in all the science disciplines.

Encouragingly, one of the board members who opposed an earlier school board resolution—which would have allowed teachers to criticize Darwin’s theory of evolution—told the Gazette that she did not have a problem with the creationists being on the book selection committee. It was her opinion that the goal of the creationists was to point out inaccuracies in the textbooks. Another Kanawah County board member thought it would “bring balance” to the committee.

The ACLU, however, was quoted as saying that it would be “deplorable if a science curriculum were taken over by religious zealots who are pushing creationism instead of real science.”

Karl Priest, the area’s most vocal creationist, correctly noted that the ACLU’s statement demonstrates religious bigotry. Priest said that his desire was to get books with the least amount of scientific errors in the hands of the students.

Answers in Genesis will post new information on this new debate in West Virginia as it becomes available.