A Helena, Montana, mother is seeking the removal of Horse by Juliet Clutton-Brock from the library of the elementary school her 8-year-old attends because, she contends, the book promotes evolution. In her request for reconsideration, Roxanne Cleasby specifically objected to a sentence on page 8 of the book that reads: “It took about 55 million years for the present family of horses, asses, and zebras to evolve from their earliest horse-like ancestor.”
“There remain too many questions with evolutionary theory to present it as a fact,” Cleasby stated at a February 27 materials-review committee hearing on the book’s merits, asserting that there is no evidence that horses as a genus actually evolved. “It really doesn’t happen that way,” Cleasby explained.
Although John Fenlason of the Hannaford Street Bible Church agreed that “evolution is just as much a theory and a religious view as creationism is,” he was the only person offering testimony to support Cleasby, according to the February 29 Helena Independent Record. “For the success of future generations, it is critical that we allow access to books that contain the prevailing views of science,” Grant Hokit, biology professor of Carroll College, said, adding that science neither proves nor disproves the existence of a creator. “I’ve had the opportunity, first hand, to see what extremists can do,” testified Afghani-American Zia Kazimi, who likened Cleasby’s complaint to Taliban philosophy. Kazimi went on to say, “It’s not our public schools who teach our faith. This is done at home and in our churches. Let the schools do what they do best.”
Helena School District Library Coordinator Suzi Watne, who is a member of the committee, told the crowd of more than 100 that district policy forbids pulling a book because of the author’s background or views. The committee is expected to make its recommendation to the Helena School District superintendent within 30 days.
Posted March 5, 2004.