SCHOOL BOARD EASES CREATIONISM STAND

By Michael Granberry, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 21, 1993

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- Hundreds of parents crowded into a middle school
gymnasium Thursday night and shouted opinions about whether their
children should be taught creationism in the public schools of nearby
Vista.

The meeting was moved to accommodate the large crowd and dozens of
reporters, who listened to more than 40 speakers debate a proposed
science policy that drew the threat of a lawsuit this week.

The board, whose three-member majority forms a Christian right
coalition that swept to power in November, ended the meeting without a
decision.  The proposed policy was put forth only for discussion but
may be voted on in June.

Near the end of the nearly three-hour meeting, board President Deidre
Holliday agreed to soften the language of the policy that she and
another member had introduced.  Instead of finding "weaknesses that
substationally challenge theories of evolution," Holliday said the
policy should explore weaknesses that challenge "any theory of
science."

Officials for the State Department of Education had strongly objected
to the earlier wording.

Even the suggestion of introducing creationism into science classes
has brought objections from state education officials and the American
Civil Liberties Union, which announced plans to sue if the policy is
approved.

It has also brought national attention to Vista, a San Diego County
bedroom community of 76,000 being viewed as the bellwether of
fundamentalist Christians' attempts to influence school curricula.

Against the backdrop of a poster bearing the slogans "United We Stand"
and "Decrease the Violence," the board heard heartfelt pleas from
parents who defended and attacked the teaching of evolution.

Robert Heckler, 30, praised the three-member majority for its courage
and said "George Bush would call the teaching of evolution voodoo
science."

Heckler, who lost a school board seat in the election in which his
fundamentalist colleagues were elected, lauded the book "Of Pandas and
People," a pro-creationism text that new member John Tyndall had
sought to introduce in Vista's science classes.

A committee of the district's teachers later rejected the book
unanimously.  Heckler attacked the committee as being biased and said
the book "had made monkeys out of evolutionists."

But he drew laughter and even jeers in saying he wanted to see an end
"to all the backbiting board members have been doing in the media."

Peter Welch, who described himself as a conservative Christian, said
he had found "Of Pandas and People" to be "filled with omissions and
outright lies" and called it tragic that a Vista board member wanted
it taught in the science curriculum.

Ruth Steiner, 66, drew a loud ovation in citing the Founding Fathers'
"wisdom in building a wall between church and state.  Can't you people
leave the science to those who know it and understand it -- scientists
and science teachers?"

Kenneth Ray, 45, a Vietnam veteran and the father of three Vista
schoolchildren, called evolution "the unifying theory of modern
biology" and harshly criticized the board for introducing the policy
when, in his view, it had promised at a January meeting not to renew
the issue of creationism.

Ray drew thunderous applause in saying: "If you cannot understand [the
state's policy on teaching science], or you refuse to understand it,
then you should resign."