91ֱ

Science

Dover’s New School Board Prepares to Scrap District’s Disputed Policy

By Sean Cavanagh — January 03, 2006 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

A federal judge has forbidden school officials in Dover, Pa., to require that students be introduced to the concept of “intelligent design” in science class.

Now, the newly reconstituted Dover school board appears ready to enforce that ruling.

See Also

Return to the main story,

Possible Road Map Seen in Dover Case

A strong majority of the panel’s members, after winning election in November and taking office Dec. 5, oppose the intelligent-design policy adopted by the previous board. They have been expected to take steps to do away with it and could begin that effort as early as a Jan. 3 meeting.

At that meeting this week, the nine-member board could eliminate a requirement that 9th grade biology students have a statement read to them introducing intelligent design, according to Bernadette Reinking, the newly elected president of the board.

In addition, as early as sometime this month, the board could move to revise the district science curriculum, which refers to “gaps/problems” in evolutionary theory and mentions intelligent design. Under district rules, that change could take longer to enact, Ms. Reinking said.

“We’re trying to punch all the tickets,” she said.

Looking Ahead

The Dover board’s position on the controversy changed dramatically after Nov. 8. That’s when local voters—more than a month before U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III rejected the intelligent-design policy as religiously based —ousted all eight incumbent members, all of whom favored the policy. Eight challengers who opposed it, including Ms. Reinking, won seats.

One remaining board member who was not up for re-election, Heather Geesey, has voiced support for the policy, which was adopted in 2004.

One challenger who appeared to win a seat in November, former Dover High School science teacher Bryan Rehm, faced a new election Jan. 3 against incumbent James Cashman, who has campaigned in favor of the existing intelligent-design stance. A York County, Pa., judge ordered a partial revote after concluding that a faulty voting machine had been used on election day.

The new board members said during their campaigns that they would not oppose teaching about intelligent design—as long as it was in an elective class, outside of science.

Looking ahead, Ms. Reinking did not think her district’s debate over intelligent design, or the resulting legal outcome, would discourage proponents of the concept from trying to find ways to present it in science class.

“This is America. It’s their right to do that,” Ms. Reinking said. “As long as it’s not in Dover.”

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 91ֱ's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Improve School Culture and Engage Students: Archery’s Critical Role in Education
Changing lives one arrow at a time. Find out why administrators and principals are raving about archery in their schools.
Content provided by 
School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Science Leader To Learn From Computer Science for All: This District Leader Is Making It a Reality
An initiative to create and expand a computer science program pays big dividends in a Colorado district.
13 min read
Anna Otto, Computer Science and Online Learning Coordinator for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, and her 9-year-old son, Aiden, who was born prematurely at 28 weeks and lives with cerebral palsy, pictured at home in Longmont, Colo., in Dec. 17, 2024.
Anna Otto, the computer science and online learning coordinator for the Adams 12 Five Star school district in Colorado, and her 9-year-old son, Aiden, who was born prematurely at 28 weeks and lives with cerebral palsy, at home in Longmont, Colo., on Dec. 17, 2024. Otto's passion for computer science is inspired, in part, by the role it has played in her son's ability to walk independently.
Jimena Peck for 91ֱ
Science Q&A Closing the Gender Gap in Computer Science Starts With Student Input
Girls are less likely to take computer science then their male peers. Designing classes that appeal to them can help close the gap.
4 min read
Anna Otto, Computer Science and Online Learning Coordinator for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, visits a 5th grade class at Glacier Peak Elementary School in Brighton, Colo., on Dec. 9, 2024. Otto leads the development of the district's K-12 computer science pathway, integrates digital literacy into core subjects, and collaborates on creating AI guidelines and professional learning initiatives for the district.
Anna Otto, the computer science and online learning coordinator for the Adams 12 Five Star school district in suburban Denver, visits a 5th grade class at Glacier Peak Elementary School in Brighton, Colo., on Dec. 9, 2024.
Jimena Peck for 91ֱ
Science LEGO Education’s Latest Offering: The Building Blocks of Science Lessons?
The toymaker plans to release units that inch closer to a core curriculum.
3 min read
Lego Classroom
Courtesy of LEGO Education
Science The STEM Stereotypes That Hold Students Back Aren't What You Think
Girls may not underrate their math performance compared to boys, after all. But math-oriented sciences are a different matter.
3 min read
Two Female College Students Building Machine In Science Robotics Or Engineering Class
iStock/Getty