<<  <  >  >>

constant flux since 1999--appeared

to be held in Cedar Rapids in October, the

ready to change again, this time away

Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission

from Darwinian evolution. In November,

voted 5-4 not to back the discussion. The

after months of acrimonious debates and

deeply divided commission, whose mem-

hearings, the Kansas Board of Education

bers are appointed by the city's Mayor and

approved science standards that required

approved by the City Council, was torn

students to learn evolution, but also

between those who could not support a

noted that there are many challenges to

forum that focused just on the bullying of

the theory of evolution.

homosexual students, and members who

The camps in the Kansas battle last

thought that any forum on bullying was

year broke down along familiar pro- and

worth supporting. Both sides blamed each

anti-Darwinian lines, and each accused

other for playing politics. "They have a

the other of trying to impose its beliefs

political agenda," said Mike Hartwig, a

on all Kansans. Promoting the new stan-

forum opponent. "It seems pretty evident

dards, for instance, school board mem-

if this was about bullying, they would have

ber John Bacon (R-Olathe) declared that

people coming from more than one per-

they eliminate "a lot of dogma that's

spective." Commission member Virgil

being taught in the classroom today."

Gooding countered Hartwig's sentiment

Opponents of the new standards, for

by asserting that the commission's deci-

their part, suggested that the standards

sion was itself "purely political by folks

who want to play politics."110

themselves were little more than a reflec-

· Marshalltown--In April, people in the

tion of creationist dogma. "This is neo-

creationism, trying to avoid the legal

Marshalltown school district were greatly

morass of trying to teach creationism

divided over a proposal to specifically list

overtly," said Eugenie Scott, executive

gay and lesbian students as protected by

director of the National Center for

the district's anti-harassment policies.

Science Education. And the controversy,

Many residents feared that by giving

it seems, is nowhere near an end: In

homosexual students specific mention in

August, the evolution-skeptics lost their

the guidelines, they would be condoning

majority on the school board, setting

gay behavior. Others thought that the

things up for yet another swing of the

best way to address harassment was to

evolution pendulum.112

simply cover everyone without listing

individual traits. As reported by the Des

Moines Register, the debate got extremely

Freedom of Expression

· Wichita--Like their peers in cities around

emotional. "Marshalltown father Doug

Hensley wept as he explained why he

the country, in late March numerous stu-

believes gay and lesbian students should

dents in Wichita, Kansas, left school to

be specifically listed in school anti-

rally against proposed federal laws that

harassment policies," the newspaper

would have tightened American immigra-

reported. "Hensley said his son, who is

tion policies. And, just like their peers else-

gay, experienced harassment starting in

where, those students brought truancy

the second grade, and, despite a passion

laws and the need for order in schools

for academics, quit high school after one

into direct conflict with students' rights

day of ninth-grade classes."111

to express themselves. In Wichita, though,

school officials blamed adults as much as

students for the truancy. "We have a

Kansas

groups of adults who . . . use kids . . . to get

Intelligent Design

· Topeka--Last year, Kansas's state stan-

their agenda approved," Wichita schools

superintendent Winston Brooks said. "I

dards on evolution--which have been in

29