An article in
Inside Higher Education reports that the University of California is being sued for giving too much information about evolution on a university web site. "In the battles over evolution," the article begins, "it's usually the critics of evolution who are accused of crossing church/state lines."
But last week, some of those critics filed suit in federal court against the University of California at Berkeley, charging that its views on evolution are leading it to violate the separation of church and state. Berkeley was sued for maintaining a Web site, Understanding Evolution, to help schoolteachers. The site contains a links section that notes the many religious organizations that have stated that faith is not incompatible with evolution, and these links violate the First Amendment, according to the suit.
In point of fact, the site merely links to a
National Center for Science Education collection of statements by religious organizations. The
linking page contains the following statement:
The misconception that one always has to choose between science and religion is incorrect. Of course, some religious beliefs explicitly contradict science (e.g., the belief that the world and all life on it was created in six literal days); however, most religious groups have no conflict with the theory of evolution or other scientific findings. In fact, many religious people, including theologians, feel that a deeper understanding of nature actually enriches their faith. Moreover, in the scientific community there are thousands of scientists who are devoutly religious and also accept evolution.
Apparently the suit has to do with violations of the First Amendment (not sure how) and the plaintiff, who runs an anti-evolution website of his own, would like the Berkeley site to provide "balance" by linking to nutcases like himself.
I imagine the suit will be thrown out quickly, but you never know.