Can Sally Kern read? Either literacy is a problem for her, or she has simply chosen to ignore the ruling handed down by a U.S. district judge appointed by George W. Bush.

Late last year, Judge John E. Jones barred a Pennsylvania public school district from imposing an “intelligent design” curriculum in biology classes. Based on the evidence, Jones determined that school board members in the Dover district were trying to slip creationism in through the back door, and further, that a couple of the so-called “Christian” board members intent on imposing their own beliefs upon students had also lied under oath.

Promoting her particular brand of religion in the classroom seems to be on the agenda of Kern, a Republican member of the Oklahoma House representing a segment of Oklahoma City residents who are either unfortunate or lazy.

If that bracketing of adjectives seems odd, consider this: If Kern’s constituents want their children to be instructed in the best and latest current scientific theories so as to be prepared for college and the world at-large, they’re unfortunate to have someone of her mentality representing them (see her other proposals for more horrors). If, on the other hand, they agree with her that creationism belongs in the science curriculum, then they may be too lazy to teach their children about intelligent design, or too lazy to take their kids to church, and are therefore expecting some teacher to do it for them.

Kern is another of those extremist politicians who has somehow confused the theory of evolution with atheism or godlessness, and under the circumstances, Oklahoma educators will be relieved to know she was schooled in Texas rather than here. If Kern had done her homework, she’d know Charles Darwin himself didn’t necessarily take a position on what, or whom, got the evolutionary process started; he left that up to others, presumably religious leaders. That’s not a matter of science, however, and Darwin knew it. That’s a matter of faith, and it belongs in the church, not in a public school.

Kern calls her drivel the “Academic Freedom Act,” though it reads more like a sneaky way to introduce the religious beliefs of her and her minister husband into the classroom. After all, many Christian churches – among them Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran and most Baptists – accept evolutionary theory as a likely means for which God initiated the grand design. Who is Kern to tell these Christians they’re wrong and she’s right?

Kern claims she’s trying to protect the jobs of teachers who present a “scientific alternative” to evolution. In fact, there IS no “scientific” alternative to evolution, and few science teachers would argue otherwise, because there’s no way to test a hypotheses on “intelligent design” to even get to the point of “theory.” Creationism is based completely on religious faith – the belief that God created the universe. So, unless Kern is really trying to credit aliens from another planet with our “intelligent design,” how can it be anything ELSE but religion?

Evolutionary theory has its problems, which is why it’s still theory and not fact. But for the moment, it’s the best that we – and the rest of the world – can do. Those of us who believe an intelligent designer – a creator God – used evolution as one of his tools would prefer to let our children learn our tenets of faith in the churches of our choice, and from our own mouths. Those who feel otherwise are welcome to home-school their kids or put them in private school.

Mrs. Kern may not want to educate herself on the intricacies of evolutionary theory, but she ought to at least bone up on the First Amendment. Especially the part about Congress making no law respecting an establishment of religion. Most good science teachers don’t need her “protection,” nor do they want it – but some of them might be glad to stay AFTER school to explain their personal faith to an inquiring student. And that’s OK with us.