Science teacher awaits appeal on the teaching of evolution in his class
August 18, 2000
Thus far, Minnesota (USA) science teacher Rodney LeVake has been thwarted by his
high school and the local judicial system in his attempt to expose his students
to the grave problems with evolution theory (see our August 8 article,
Muzzled in Minnesota!).
On July 20, a circuit court judge ruled that the school district had the right to
remove Mr. LeVake from his high school biology class because of his views on evolution.
Mr. LeVake, a Christian, but who does not teach creation in his class, had presented
his pupils with the problems with evolution theory.
He has filed an appeal with the Minnesota Court of Appeals to be reinstated to his
biology classes, and patiently awaits a ruling. Meanwhile, he is gearing up for
a new school year (Mr. LeVake was reassigned by the school two years ago—he
is now a teacher of chemistry). Mr. LeVake has stated to AiG that he very much wants
to return to his biology classes, where he is best suited and trained (his master’s
degree is in biology). He firmly believes that he has the academic freedom to offer
both the evidence for and against evolution; also, he states that he has no religious
content in his lectures.
A well-written and balanced update on Mr. LeVake’s struggle for academic freedom
is found in the Minneapolis paper, The Star Tribune (August 14). We encourage
you to read it and discover another example of how America’s court system
and public schools are increasingly intolerant of anything that may even hint of
Christian influence.
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