On April 24 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board denied an application from the Institute for Creation Research [ ICR ] for certification of its distance education program for a masters degree in “science education,” which would have meant certification of its graduates as science teachers. The following Documents are now posted at the TCEHB website:
Institute of Creation Research
- ICR Application for Certificate of Authority
- ICR Site Evaluation Report
- ICR Site Evaluation Response
- ICR updated application information ( 382 pages )
- Staff recommendation to the Commissioner *
- Comments from Scientists and Science Educators *
- Commissioner’s statement of recommendation
- Press release from April 23 meeting of the Academic Excellence and Research Committee
- Press release from April 24 Board meeting
- FAQ on Certificate of Authority Process
Steven Schafersman, President of Texas Citizens for Science, especially recommends the two items that I’ve marked with an asterisk (*) above. There’s a great deal that interests me in the other materials, especially the 382-page ICR document.
Other documents can be found on the website of Texas Citizens for Science, including their testimony and press releases.
ICR has posted a statement titled Academic Freedom in the Balance on their website. A slightly abridged version was disseminated as a press release with the title Science Institute Releases Documents in Texas Academic Freedom Case. Even in this case, ICR has presented itself as a Christian Ministry — and their “Graduate School” as a Christian Ministry. If they sincerely believe that their religious ministry is a “science institute,” this surely gives some clue as to the idea of “science” that they’re teaching.
Reporting sympathetic to ICR is posted at WorldNetDaily with the headline: Texas demands faith in Darwinism — Regulators reject teaching from team of Ph.Ds.
John Young of the Cox News Service has a fine column in the Waco Tribune with the headline Religion in fake mustache.
ICR is pledging to appeal the decision or to challenge it in a lawsuit.
Click here for other posts on this blog on the Institute for Creation Research.
