An Interesting School Board Problem

This is a sad story, but there are those who will find it thrilling. We found it in the Union Democrat of Sonora, California, population 4,802. Their headline is Bret Harte student wants science class to make room for God, and the newspaper has a comments feature. Here are some excerpts from the news story, with bold font added by us for emphasis:

Grayson Mobley stood Monday night in front of about a hundred people who sat at tables and stood between book cases in a library at Bret Harte High to hear him challenge a school district policy that prohibits discussion of religion in science classes. “I’m here tonight to safeguard my constitutional rights,” Grayson, a 16-year-old sophomore at the public high school, said aloud, reading from notes, to the five-member district board and the crowd in front of him. “Free speech is granted to all American citizens, including minors. I am an American citizen.”

What a brave young man! He claims a Constitutional right to discuss religion in science class. Much later in the chaotically-written article we’re told what the problem is:

Grayson’s science teacher, Jerre Maurer, told students on the first day of school in August, “Leave all ideas and notions about God outside my classroom” and “Science is fact and religion is faith.” In September, Grayson’s mother, Lisa Mobley, received an email from Kylee Luchetti, Bret Harte High principal, saying in part, “Ms. Maurer’s statement that God/religion would not be discussed during class time is in line with Board Policy at this time.”

That’s what’s being protested at the meeting — and a hundred people showed up! The Union Democrat says:

Grayson, who attended grades 1 through 8 at Christian Family Learning Center in Angels Camp, is now a straight A student at Bret Harte High and he has received math and science awards, his father and his family’s attorney say. He received applause at the end of his speech and returned to his seat with his parents.

He received applause! The whole town supports him. Isn’t that wonderful? After that the newspaper tells us:

“When he walked into science class his teacher said any notion of God or creation needs to be left outside the classroom,” Grayson’s father, Troy Mobley, said in a phone interview before the meeting. “That was the ground rules at the beginning of the year. Grayson is not trying to argue about it. He never brought it up. He’s being told right from the get-go don’t even bring it up. He feels like his freedom of speech right is being taken away.”

It must be quite a shock to come from a bible school background into a public school. The Union Democrat continues:

Troy Mobley [the lad’s father] says he and his family practice their faith at Church of the Nazarene in Sutter Creek and Mountain Ranch Community Church. Back when he attended Christian Family Learning Center, Grayson studied creationism, his father said. “Creationism is that God created the heavens and earth, and that’s what he was taught and that’s what we believe,” Troy Mobley said.

The lad’s father is with him all the way! The newspaper quotes several speakers at the event, all of whom seem to support the boy. One was Dr. Jeff Whitman, who said:

“For someone to say that ‘science is fact and religion is faith’ is just an incomplete statement of a question,” Whitman said. “Allowing Bret Harte science students to constructively and relevantly express their viewpoints is a good solution. It respects the Constitution, and it encourages critical thinking in an American academic environment.” Whitman also urged the district board to place a potential policy change on the agenda for their next meeting.

They also quote Pastor Kevin Diamond of San Andreas Community Covenant Church, who brought a petition with more than a hundred signatures urging the board to amend their policy. The preacher said:

“If a princess kisses a frog and it becomes a prince, that’s called a fairy tale,” Diamond said. “But if a frog becomes a prince over millions of years, it’s called science.” People laughed and applauded. Diamond shared a copy of the petition.

Then they quote Greg Glaser, an attorney representing the Mobleys:

Before the meeting Monday, Glaser was asked is he would sue the district board if they do not revise their policy. “We are hopeful the board will do the right thing and restore the Constitution to Bret Harte,” Glaser responded. “However, if the board clings to this unconstitutional policy, then my clients are prepared to litigate.”

Wowie — they’re going to litigate to “restore the Constitution.” This is exciting! Let’s read on:

If Glaser [the lawyer] and the Mobley family can convince the school district board to amend their policy, “Grayson will not proselytize or redirect scientific discussions off-topic,” Glaser said. Grayson’s intent is that if he observes that class discussion descends to scientism, a point of view that only modern scientific theory can explain life, then Grayson would like to politely exercise his right to offer his perspective in the discussion, namely, that God created life, Glaser said.

The lad wants to preach The Truth™ to the class. What’s wrong with that?

There’s more to the newspaper article, but we’ll quit here. Our guess is that the whole town is going to get a lesson in Constitutional law.

Update: California Creationists Threaten Lawsuit

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