The Dover Trial

1
The Dover Trial
2
Introduction

• The Dover trial otherwise known as Kitzmiller v.
  Dover Area School District or The Dover Panda
  Trial. Trial was about questioning intelligent
  designs eligibility to be taught in public
  schools in Dover, Pennsylvania.

3
Background

• Dover, Pennsylvania has approximately 1,931
  people. Approximately 45 of the people identify
  themselves as religious. The religious breakdown
  is Evangelical Lutheran Church in America(23),
  Catholic(22), United Methodist(18), United
  Church of Christ(12), and Other(25). The main
  public high school is Dover Area High School
  which has 1075 students.

4
Background

• Given that 45 call themselves religious in the
  city, there was bound to be religious tension
  from time to time. In 1998, Zach Strausbaugh, a
  student at the time of Dover High School, painted
  a 4 by 16 foot mural of evolution. It depicted
  how humans evolved from monkeys. He donated it to
  the school. In 2003, the janitor, Larry Reeser
  found it offensive and burned it. The town was in
  uproar with the town split on loving the mural or
  loving that is was burned. This is where the
  controversy began.

5
Background

• After people began to take sides some locals
  realized that evolution was the only science
  being taught in their schools. Some wanted them
  to put another theory called Intelligent Design,
  which is a theory that basically says that some
  things are too complex to be evolved and that
  there had to be a designer or God.

6
School Changes Textbook

• In June 2004, the Dover Area School District
  began its selection of a biology textbook. In the
  past their textbooks focused on evolution. In
  August 2004, the school district selected the
  textbook Biology The Living Science, by Kenneth
  Miller and Joseph Levine. Now they had their
  textbooks recommended by the science teachers,
  however, 50-60 copies of an intelligent design
  book called Of Pandas and People was anonymously
  donated to use in the classrooms.

7
School Changes Textbook

• Since receiving the intelligent design book, the
  school board passed an intelligent design
  curriculum policy, and two school board members
  resigned because of it as a sign of protest. In
  November 2004, the school board issued how the
  policy was to be implemented and stated a one
  minute speech about the addition of intelligent
  design in classrooms.

8
The Suit

• Some parents were outrage at the new addition of
  intelligent design being added to the curriculum.
  Less than a month later, they filed a suit to the
  Federal District Court against the school board
  on the grounds that it violated the Establishment
  clause, which separates church and state
  functions. They believed the theory was religious
  and should not be included in public schools. The
  parents were represented by Pennslyvania ACLU,
  Americans United, and Pepper Hamilton LLP.

9
The Suit

• In 2005, the school districts defense filed to
  answer the complaint. They issued a letter to the
  parents about their childrens biology
  curriculum. They updated the letter in February
  and expert witnesses announced and the statements
  were filed. The Foundation for Thought and
  Ethics, the publisher Of Pandas and People,
  files application to intervene. In August 2008,
  plaintiffs file for summary judgment.

10
The Trial

• In September 2005, the judge denies the
  plaintiff's motion for summary judgment and send
  the suit to trial. The plaintiffs sought for
  declaratory and injunctive relief. The bench
  trail before Judge John E. Jones begins in
  Federal District Court in Harrisburg, PA. The
  trial concludes in November 2005.

11
The Trial

• Plaintiffs
• The plaintiffs were all parents of students
  enrolled in the Dover Area School district.
• Tammy Kitzmiller
• Bryan Rehm
• Christy Rehm
• Deborah Fenimore
• Joel Lieb
• Steven Stough
• Beth Eveland
• Cynthia Sneath
• Julie Smith
• Aralene "Barrie" D. Callahan
• Frederick B. Callahan

12
The Trial

• Defendants
• Dover Area School District
• Dover Area School District Board of Directors
• Members who voted for the statement
• Bill Buckingham (resigned August 2005 due to
  health concerns)
• Alan Bonsell
• Sheila Harkins
• Heather Geesey
• Jane Cleaver (resigned October 4, 2004)
• Angie Ziegler-Yingling (resigned December 6,
  2004)
• Members who voted against it
• Noel Wenrich (announced his resignation October
  4, 2004 last day of service was October 31,
  2004 moved out of the district)
• Carol Brown (resigned October 18, 2004 in
  protest)
• Jeff Brown (resigned October 18, 2004 in protest)

13
The Trial

• The plaintiffs brought witness such as Kenneth R.
  Miller, a biology professor to testify. They
  brought in witnesses of the intelligent design
  speech, Dover parents, philosophers aware of
  intelligent design, scientists, an expert
  witness, and many more.
• As for the defense, they brought in Michael Behe,
  who was a professor at Lehigh University and is a
  leader in the intelligent design movement. They
  also brought to the stand other intelligent
  design scientists, a professor, a
  superintendent, and other people as well.

14
The final verdict

• In December 2005, Judge Jones states that the
  intelligent design policy violates the U.S.
  Constitution. He issued a 139 page findings act
  that concluded how the board violated the
  constitution. He said that intelligent design
  represented a religious belief. The school board
  could no longer force teachers to teach about
  intelligent design and not to discourage the
  teaching of evolution. In February 2006, the
  Dover Are School District must pay more than one
  million dollars in legal fees to the plaintiffs.

15
Quiz

• What is the Dover Trial also called?
• a. The Dover Evolution Trial
• b. The Evolution 2 Trial
• c. The Dover Intelligent Design Trial
• d. The Dover Panda Trial -

16
Quiz

• 2. What were the two main scientific theories
  that were at the heart of this trial?
• Evolution
• String Theory
• Intelligent Design
• Creationist Theory
• A B
• A C -
• A D

17
Quiz

• 3. What event first sparked the events leading up
  to the trial?
• The reading of the intelligent design policy
• The burning of the evolution mural -
• The addition of the intelligent design textbooks
• The intelligent design tests

18
Quiz

• 4. What percentage of Dover citizens consider
  themselves religious?
• 35
• 40
• 45 -
• 50
• 55

19
Quiz

• 5. True or False. The Intelligent design book was
  donated to the Dover school district.
• True -
• False

20
Quiz

• 6. True or False. The Intelligent Design book was
  voted not be used in the classroom by the Dover
  school board.
• True
• False -

21
Quiz

• 7. Who were the plantiffs?
• Biology School Teachers
• School Teachers
• Scientists
• Dover school parents -

22
Quiz

• 8. What did the plantiffs say the Dover School
  District violate?
• The Establishment Clause -
• The Third Amendment
• The Fifth Amendment
• The Butler Act

23
Quiz

• 9. What did the judge decide?
• The plaintiffs win -
• The defendants win
• Both are out of order
• It never went to trial

24
Quiz

• 10. How much did the judge make the losing
  parties pay for their opponents court fees?
• Under one million
• One million exactly
• Over one million
• No monetary compensation

25
Resources

• http//www.city-data.com/city/Dover-Pennsylvania.h
  tml
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_A
  rea_School_District
• http//ncse.com/creationism/legal/kitzmiller-v-dov
  er-timeline
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/intelligent
  -design-trial.html
• http//atheism.about.com/b/2005/10/10/dover-board-
  members-favored-burning-of-evolution-mural.htm