Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial (2007)

Abstract

"In a tiny town of Dover in eastern Pennsylvania, in 2004, the local school board ordered science teachers to read to their high school biology students a statement that suggested there is an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution called "Intelligent Design." NOVA captures the emotional conflict in the historic six-week trial, Kitzmiller v. Dover School District, which was closely watched by the world's media" [description from http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2950515]. "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial captures the turmoil that tore apart the community of Dover, Pennsylvania, in a landmark battle over the teaching of evolution in public schools. In 2004, the Dover school board ordered science teachers to read a statement to high school biology students about an alternative to Darwin's theroy of evolution called intelligent design - the idea that life is too complex to have evolved naturally and so must have been designed by an intelligent agent. The teachers refused to comply, and both parents and teachers filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing the school board of violating the constitutional separation of church and state. Now, NOVA explores the arguments by lawyers and expert witnesses in riveting detil and provides and eye-opening crash course on questions such as "What is evolution?" and "Is intelligent design a scientifically valid alternative?" Featuring trial reenactments basd on court transcripts and interviews with key participants and expert scientists, this gripping program presents the celebrated case of Kitzmiller v. Dover School District." [description from DVD case] The DVD includes printable materials for educators, access to the NOVA website, scene selection, closed captions and the described video feature for the visually impaired.