Creationism as superstitious nonsense violates First Amendment?

A federal judge has ruled that a history teacher at a Southern California public high school violated the First Amendment when he called creationism "superstitious nonsense" during a classroom lecture.

U.S. District Judge James Selna issued the ruling Friday after a 16-month legal battle between student Chad Farnan and his former teacher, James Corbett.

Farnan's lawsuit alleged that Corbett made more than 20 statements that were disparaging to Christians and their beliefs.

The judge found that Corbett's reference to creationism as "religious, superstitious nonsense" violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. Courts have interpreted the clause as prohibiting government employees from displaying religious hostility.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Was the Judge right?  Should a teacher be prohibited from saying creationism is "religious superstitious nonsense"?

Creationism in Texas

The Texas Board of Education votes this week on a new science curriculum. The new curriculum is designed to challenge evolution, and introduce creationism, a step that could influence what is taught in biology classes across the nation.

The proposed curriculum change would prompt teachers to raise doubts that all life on Earth is descended from common ancestry.

This is an assault on modern science, and an assault on reason. Good people need to stand up against religious ignorance and superstition.

The far right agenda must be stopped. Christianity is often a backward, ignorant world view that preaches hatred for those who are different or dare to speak out.

The repercussions could be devastating. Texas is such a huge textbook market that many publishers write to the state's standards, then market those books nationwide.

To deny evolution is like a denial of gravity. To deceive children by teaching creationism is criminal.

Texans should be outraged. Teaching creationism in a science class is child abuse.