Ala. Judge Bars Books as ‘Godless’

In a case that pitted the religious right against civil libertarians, a federal judge ordered at least 35 textbooks removed from Alabama’s public schools today because they promote the “godless religion” of secular humanism.

U.S. District Judge W. Brevard Hand issued a 172-page ruling that listed at least 35 books--most social studies texts--that he said violated First Amendment rights against establishment of a religion by the state.

“These books are not to be used as primary textbooks . . . or as a teaching aid, in any course, but may be used as a reference source in a comparative religion course that treats all religions equally,” Hand said.

The plaintiffs, who included 624 parents and others backed by a legal group founded by television evangelist Pat Robertson, argued that Alabama students are threatened with brainwashing by state-approved textbooks that espouse secular humanism.

Defendants, supported by the ACLU and Norman Lear’s People for the American Way, contended that the plaintiffs were using secular humanism as a catchall term for any teaching method that does not conform to their fundamentalist religious beliefs.

“This judgment and injunction acts to remove these books from the state-adopted textbook list,” Hand said, ruling on a case that was heard last fall.

The judge also ordered Alabama’s Board of Education to pay court costs in the case, which is expected to be appealed.

More than 600 parents and teachers sued the Board of Education, claiming 45 textbooks used in Alabama schools downplay the historic and contemporary role of religions and promote secular humanism, which they classified as “a religion without a God.”

The Tennessee parents, who criticized themes such as evolution, secular humanism, feminism, witchcraft and the occult, had asked that schools be forced to provide alternative books.