Dover voters chuck anti-science school board

The great news from Dover, Pennsylvania, is that the eight incumbent school board members (all Republicans), and all in favor of teaching mystical claptrap as science, were all given the boot in yesterday's election. The winners (also Republicans, but running as Democrats) have indicated that they believe Intelligent Design Creationism should be taught, but as part of an elective philosophy class and not as science.

The incumbents lost because of their own bad behavior. They tried to sneak religious prosyletizing into science class, and thought they could cover up their motivations. Eleven parents sued the board (for favoring a particular religious point of view) and the trial has just finished--Judge John E. Jones III will reveal his verdict around January). The attempted coverup led to inconsistencies in sworn testimony (what some people might call "lying" or "perjury") as well as all manner of well-deserved ridicule being hurled at the school board, its supporters, and the witnesses called in its defense. The board members brought shame, ridicule, and wasted expense to Dover because of their adventure in ignorance.