Judge Sam Sparks’ rebuke of the Institution for Creation Research (“Biblical. Accurate. Certain.”) appeared in a number of venues, in addition to those I mentioned earlier (go see here); for the record, you ought to go see:
- San Antonio Express writer Melissa Ludwig wrote a facts-only, solid newspaper account; that site also offered links to a few other sites covering, including Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub.
- Law and Magic blog, with a good statement of the facts of the case
- Texas Tribune continues its award-winning coverage of education in Texas at their blog, with post by Reeve Hamilton; it’s good all on its own, and I don’t say that just because Reeve is a cultural nephew, with whose mother I did reader’s theater in Tucson back in the early Holocene. (Go, Reeve!) Included there is the only comment I’ve seen from ICR:
An ICR spokesperson sent the following statement via e-mail:
The Institute for Creation Research has received the ruling of Judge Sam Sparks from the U.S. District Court in Austin in the case ICR Graduate School v. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board et al. The attorneys and leadership of ICR associated with this case are currently reviewing Judge Sparks’ ruling and we are weighing our options regarding future action in this matter. In addition to other options, ICRGS has 30 days in which to file an appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. ICR has no further comment at this time.
- Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger
- Valerie Strauss at the Washington Post’s The Answer Sheet blog says this is, finally, news on education from Texas that can be applauded (what about my students’ TAKS scores, Valerie?) “The last bit of education news to come out of Texas was the rewriting of social studies standards by right-wing ideologues. This is a welcome change.”
- The Wall Street Journal’s Law Blog headline: “Texas Judge Rips Creationism Group in Science Degree Suit”
- At Panda’s Thumb, the grandmother of evolution issue blogs, Phil Plait guests as author of the short post explaining the outcome so far, and compares ICR’s travails to those of John Freshwater (I disagree); read the comments. Of course, Plait also reported at Bad Astronomy, with more good comments.
- The Sensuous Curmudgeon looks at the deeper meaning, and offers analysis of the next legal moves of the so-far-hitless creationists, including the Discovery Institute — does the David Coppedge suit ring a bell? Earlier coverage of the decision, too.
- Texas Freedom Network Insider blogged the case, too
- Ted Herrlich, at Please Be Patient, I’m Evolving as Fast as I Can
- Dallas Morning News Religion Blog
- Dallas Observer Blog; it calls ICR a “local creationist group.” Oh, the sting!
- The Chronicle of Higher Education story is straight news — but look at the comments!
- Huffington Post
- Oddly, interestingly, ICR wrote about the case several days ago, on June 1 — it’s not really coherent, either; “Our Day in Court: ICR Graduate School v. THECB et al, by James J. S. Johnson, J.D., Th.D.”
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
Maybe the outcome was what God wanted.
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The Dallas Observer blog post is accompanied by a great graphic: a page from a coloring book showing Jesus riding a dinosaur. Also humorous: the ICR article concludes, “ICR encourages your prayers that God will be honored, justice will be applied, and academic freedom will be safeguarded in and through these upcoming trials.” I guess either their god wasn’t listening or the creationists didn’t pray sufficiently.
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