Appeal Filed In Challenge To Texas Agency's Neutrality on Creationism

Earlier this Spring, an appeal was filed with the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Comer v. Scott. In the case the district court had rejected an Establishment Clause challenge to a policy of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that required its Director of Science to remain publicly neutral regarding the teaching of creationism. The Director, Christina Comer, was fired for forwarding to two listservs and seven science educators an announcement about an anti-Creationism talk that was being presented in Austin. (See prior posting.) In her appellate brief filed with the 5th Circuit on Aug. 5 (full text), Chris Comer argues that TEA's policy of equating creationism with science violates the Establishment Clause. The National Center for Science Education last week reported on the appeal.