Colorado Springs charter school drops creationism lesson
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A banner celebrating James Irwin Charter Middle School's academic achievements. Photo: Glenn Wallace/Axios
A Colorado Springs charter middle school teacher planned to include creationism in a science lesson this semester, the Times Recorder first reported last week — prompting a constitutional complaint.
Why it matters: Public schools cannot teach religious doctrine as science under the Constitution — and curriculum disputes have become a flashpoint in culture war battles at school districts across the country, including in the Pikes Peak region.
Driving the news: An email sent roughly two weeks ago by Donna Wagner, the science lead at James Irwin Charter Middle School in eastern Colorado Springs, told parents that eighth graders would learn about creationist and evolutionist theories in an upcoming unit on natural selection, adaptation and evolution.
- A parent contacted Wagner and the Freedom From Religion Foundation with concerns.
- The national nonprofit, which advocates for the separation of church and state, then accused the school of violating the Constitution.
What they're saying: The foundation sent a March 5 letter to school leaders questioning the constitutionality of the lesson.
- An unidentified parent told the group they now doubt the school's trustworthiness and the quality of their child's education.
- "[I] feel angry that religion is being forced on children and presented as science," the letter read.
- "All students have a constitutional right to be free from religious indoctrination in their public schools," foundation attorney Samantha Lawrence wrote.
The latest: James Irwin Charter Schools CEO Rob Daugherty told The Gazette last week he just learned about the teacher's plan to reference creationism in the science lesson.
- In a March 10 response to the foundation, Daugherty said intelligent design had appeared sporadically in past lessons.
- "When I found out, I went down to the school and told the principal, 'We need to take this out,'" Daugherty told The Gazette.
- He said creationism will not be taught at any James Irwin schools.
The intrigue: The charter network is named for Apollo 15 astronaut James Irwin, an evangelical Christian who joined several expeditions in the 1970s searching for Noah's Ark.
- The middle school is part of a charter system founded in 2000 that now includes a high school, technical school and three elementary schools in the Colorado Springs area.
- The campuses operate under three local school districts. The middle school falls within Harrison School District 2.
What's next: Daugherty told Axios the incident was uncharacteristic for the James Irwin system, which he said does not seek to indoctrinate students or break the law.
- "As a result, we are going through all of our schools' lesson plans," he said.
- The Freedom From Religion Foundation told Daugherty it considers the matter resolved.