Cobb County's evolution stickers face court challenge

<p>Science textbooks in suburban Cobb County warn students that evolution is "a theory, not a fact." The controversial disclaimer faces a court challenge Monday from a parent who argues the stickers promote the teaching of creationism.</p><p>Cobb school officials will defend their 2002 decision to place the stickers in textbooks, which they say simply encourages students to keep an open mind. The trial, in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, is expected to last four days.</p><p>The stickers read, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."</p><p>They didn't go over well with parent Jeffrey Selman, who filed a lawsuit with the Georgia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.</p><p>"I'm a strong advocate for the separation of church and state," he told the Marietta Daily Journal. "I have no problem with anybody's religious beliefs. I just want an adequate educational system."</p><p>In his lawsuit, Selman and the ACLU argue that evolution has been singled out for religious reasons. Gravity, they point out, is also a theory, but there's no sticker about that in science books.</p><p>The Cobb school board adopted the stickers because three science texts they adopted in 2002 were criticized by some parents for presenting evolution as fact. More than 2,000 people signed a petition opposing the biology texts because they did not discuss alternative theories, including creationism.</p><p>Seven months later, Cobb school officials approved a policy allowing "broad-based curriculum" in schools, including creationism. The decision brought national media attention to the county.</p><p>Evolution has long been a hot topic for Georgia schools. Earlier this year, Georgia Secretary of Education Kathy Cox said a new state science curriculum would drop the word "evolution" and replace it with "changes over time." Cox and state school officials quickly changed their minds after a storm of criticism from science teachers and national media.</p><p>A lawyer for Cobb County schools, Linwood Gunn, said he expects the evolution stickers will hold up in court.</p><p>He said the stickers "improve the curriculum while also promoting an attitude of tolerance for those that have different religious beliefs."</p>