Judge: Cobb Evolution stickers unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled today that the evlolution disclaimer stickers that were placed on biology text books by Cobb County Georgia are unconstitutional.

The stickers read: "This textbook contains material on evolution Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding. the origin of living things This material should be approached with an open mind, sfudied carefully, and critically considered."

US District Judge Clarence Cooper:

"To be clear, this opinion resolves only a legal dispute Specifically, the narrow issue raised by this facial challenge is whether the sticker placed in certain Cobb County School District science textbooks violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and/or Article 1, Section II, Paragraph VII of the Constitution of the Stake of Georgia."

snip

"Due to the manner in which the sticker refers to evolution as a theory, the sticker also has the effect of undermining evolution education to the benefit of those Cobb County citizens who would prefer that students maintain their religious beliefs regarding the origin of life."

"The distinction of evolution as a theory rather than a fact is the distinction that religiously motivated individuals have specifically asked school boards to make in the most recent anti-evolution movement, and that was exactly what parents in Cobb County did in this case."

The full ruling can be read here if you can open PDF files.

By the way evolution is a theory (macroevolution) and a fact (microevolution).