Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Student Given OK to Mention God in School Science Paper : Education: The student will be graded only on the report’s secular theories. Her mother had protested terms of the assignment.

An eighth-grade student will be allowed to include mention of God in a research paper on the origin of the solar system after her mother protested to school officials.

But school authorities said Monday that 13-year-old Annalee Bretthauer will be graded only on the secular theories in her report.

“This isn’t really a test of faith. It’s just a question of if they know the scientific theory,” said Arroyo Seco Junior High School science teacher Jan Tavares. “Plenty of scientists believe in God.”

Tavares assigned Annalee and the rest of the class to write a report on the origin of the solar system, instructing students to write about “astronomy only, no religious beliefs.”

After hearing about the assignment from her daughter, Dolly Bretthauer sent a letter to Arroyo Seco Principal Lew White and William S. Hart Union High School District Supt. Walter Swanson, arguing the religious theory is valid for inclusion in the report.

“I don’t want them to be narrow-minded and not allow the children to have freedom of expression,” said Bretthauer, who called the restriction a form of censorship.

Bretthauer said she does not want the district to teach religious topics, but to permit students to include it in research projects.

Tavares said he was surprised by the objection and was not approached directly by Bretthauer or her daughter with the complaint.

Gary Wexler, director of curriculum for the district, said state law and recent court cases support the rights of the district and the teacher to establish criteria for an assignment--including what sort of information to exclude.

School officials say a student can include the religious creationism theory but that it will not be considered when the assignment is graded.

“We don’t do anything to restrict their beliefs. If you’re taking a science test and decide to put in your religious beliefs, that’s OK,” White said.

Tavares, a veteran district teacher, said he has not had such a complaint in the past 25 years he has been teaching. He said he was especially puzzled because Annalee “is probably the best science student in the class.”