State Restores License of Creationist School

The state Department of Education has restored the operating license of a Christian school in San Diego County, reversing a March decision that stripped the tiny private graduate school of its ability to issue master of science degrees.

In a Nov. 7 letter to the Institute for Creation Research in Santee, the department’s general counsel informed school administrators of the flip-flop, which restores the school’s license pending a reapproval visit from the council that evaluates postsecondary schools.

But John Morris, ICR’s administrative vice president, called the decision a partial victory. He said he suspects that the institute, which adheres to a strict biblical interpretation of the creation of the Earth and life on it, has not fought its last battle.

“We survived. That’s the victory,” Morris said. “But the perspective on the part of the state certainly hasn’t changed. What has changed is a new education law in California.”

For nearly two years, state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig has sought to drop ICR’s state approval because he thinks the school teaches religion, not science. But, when a new law takes effect next year, Honig’s authority over ICR will be significantly diminished.

The body that now evaluates postsecondary schools is a division of the Department of Education, and Honig has final say. Beginning in 1991, the body becomes part of a new state agency. When ICR comes up for reapproval, Honig will be among 15 people who decide its fate, according to William L. Rukeyser, special assistant to Honig.

Morris, who in the past has dubbed the state’s top education official a “religious bigot,” welcomes the change, but says he does not expect the new panel to be more sympathetic to his school’s claims.

“It will be nice to be away from Mr. Honig, but we don’t have any illusions,” he said.

Since 1981, he said, the institute has granted about 25 master’s degrees in biology, geology, physics and science education. The Department of Education’s letter to ICR says that, until 1991, no further action will be taken regarding the school’s approval.

In April, ICR filed suit against Honig, the Department of Education and other administrators, alleging they had violated its constitutional rights. This fall, a federal judge ruled that he would hear the case only after an administrative judge evaluated the school’s application for state approval, Morris said.

But, because of “technical weaknesses” in the state’s preparation of that case, Rukeyser said, the Department of Education decided not to go forward, opting instead to reinstate the school temporarily. The federal suit on constitutional issues is still pending.

Rukeyser said that, particularly since the Department of Education’s budget was cut by nearly one third this year, Honig welcomes the creation of a separate body to evaluate postsecondary education.

“The primary role of the (department) is to look out after the public schools which educate kindergartners through high school students. Currently there are 5 million of those students. We’ve got more than our hands full,” he said.