Top Ten ID stories

6. California Science Center Sued over Cancellation of Darwin’s Dilemma Film Showing. Amid allegations that they were pressured by colleagues at the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Southern California, the Huntington Library and elsewhere, California Science Center cancelled the October 25th IMAX showing of Darwin’s Dilemma, then refused to disclose public documents in the matter. In November 2009 the American Freedom Alliance, a non-profit group, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against a state science museum for cancelling the event exploring topics of evolution and intelligent design. The group says its free speech rights were violated when the CSC abruptly reversed its decision to allow the showing of the pro-intelligent design documentary, Darwin’s Dilemma: The Mystery of the Cambrian Fossil Read More ›

7. Michael Behe Expelled from Bloggingheads. On August 26, 2009, an interview between John McWhorter and Michael Behe about Behe’s recent book Edge of Evolution [- which discussed limits to Darwinian evolution -] appeared on bloggingheads.tv. Within hours the interview disappeared with this message “from” McWhorter posted by the administrator: “John McWhorter feels, with regret, that this interview represents neither himself, Professor Behe, nor Bloggingheads usefully, takes full responsibility for same, and has asked that it be taken down from the site. He apologizes to all who found it’s airing objectionable.” A public outcry resulted, due to the seemingly open-minded editorial policy of the organization (“We pride ourselves on having a diversity of views in our diavlogs and an accordingly Read More ›

8. Federal Court Dismisses Evolutionist Lawsuit in Texas. A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on March 31, 2009 by a former Texas state science curriculum director, Chris Comer, who alleged that she was illegally fired for sending out an e-mail about a lecture criticizing those who want to teach alternatives to evolution in science classes. While National Center for Science Education and national media saw the matter as evidence of discrimination against evolutionists, Internal Texas Education Agency (TEA) documents obtained by Texans for Better Science Education (TBSE) under the Texas public information act reveal that Comer had a long history of “insubordination” and “misconduct.” Comer had been disciplined for at least eight separate incidents, seven of which had nothing to Read More ›

9. Ben Stein Expelled from the University of Vermont. Actor, TV host, and economist Ben Stein, who hosted the 2008 film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, learned firsthand in February 2009 what it feels like to be “expelled.” Apologizing for inviting gifted actor and writer Ben Stein to be commencement speaker at the University of Vermont, President Daniel Fogel has highlighted what he called Stein’s “highly controversial views” about “evolutionary theory, intelligent design, and the role of science in the Holocaust.” Fogel attempted to make penance for inviting Stein by claiming that “Commencement should be a time when our community gathers inclusively, not divisively.” Some critics have noted that inclusivity must have a special meaning because in 2007 Fogel chose as Read More ›