"The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia has launched an online tool for students and their parents to make reports on attempts by teachers to push religious ideology under the guise of science as the new school year begins," reports WDTV (August 23, 2024).
The tool was prompted by the enactment of Senate Bill 280 on March 22, 2024. The new law provides that "[n]o public school board, school superintendent, or school principal may prohibit a public school classroom teacher from discussing or answering questions from students about scientific theories of how the universe and/or life came to exist."
"It's entirely unclear what exactly the final version of this bill seeks to permit, because it was already lawful for teachers to answer questions about scientific theories," ACLU-WV Legal Director Aubrey Sparks told WDTV. But she expressed concern that misguided teachers might believe that it licenses teachers to present their religious views as science.
As originally introduced, Senate Bill 280 provided that "[t]eachers in public schools, including public charter schools, that include any one or more of grades kindergarten through 12, may teach intelligent design as a theory of how the universe and/or humanity came to exist," as NCSE previously reported.
Teaching "intelligent design" in the public schools was found to be unconstitutional in Kitzmiller v. Dover in 2005. Although Senate Bill 280 was revised to remove any reference to "intelligent design," the bill's lead sponsor, Amy Grady (R-District 4), declared that it still would protect the teaching of "intelligent design," according to West Virginia Watch (January 23, 2024).
"If a teacher is pushing religion in your classroom or your child's classroom," the tool explains, "we want to hear from you." Sparks told WDTV that ACLU-WV will closely monitor the situation and that a member of the legal team will personally review every complaint received.
