European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1dok out Here come Fatafe. Despite setbacks fundamentalist Christian movement drives on by William k. Stevens new York Timasia though the Federal courts this Summe have dealt fundamentalist christians three Maior setbacks without a Victory in their drive to shape Public education More to their liking he drive itself remains very much alive authorities on both sides of the Issue say As the courts Block one Legal Avenue alter another they say the Bailie is Likely to intensity on other fronts. They foresee countless grassroots skirmishes Between school boards and fundamental Isle who want to promote the study or christianity and creationism. And to Block the study of whal they Call secular humanism a value system and a View of life thai excludes he super National. Textbook publishers too Are expected to be the Large of renewed pressure. Nor is the struggle in the courts entirely Over and the fundamentalists hold High Hopes that in at least one instance they will ultimately prevail. That is the Case in which a Federal appeals court in Cincinnati in a decision announced aug. 24. Ruled Hal Public school students can be required to read and discuss textbooks even though Trie lessons May offend their religious bezels. Fundamentalists in Tennessee had sued a local school Board because they considered the textbooks to be godless. In another blow to the fundamentalist cause a Federal appeals court in at Falla on aug. 26 reversed a trial judge s order that had banned 44 textbooks Tram Alabama Public schools because they Wera held to promote a godless humanistic religion. In the first of this summer s big rulings on june 19, the supreme court struck Down a Louisiana Taw that required Public schools to teach the creationist theory of Man s origin alongside the theory of evolution. The Impact of the three decisions lakes some of the w and out of their sails Laurence h. Tribe a Legal scholar Al Harvard University said of the fundament Anisis but it does 1 sink he  the lesson of the rulings tribe said is that attempts 1o reshape Public programs in the fundamentalist image Are bound to fail in the courts fundamentais1s say they will Appeal the Tennessee and Alabama cases As tar As they can vat re going to utilize the Silum mat s made America great and proceed to exhaust All those Possi Bilios said Robert Skolrood the executive director of the National Legal foundation in Virginia Beach a. The organization was founded by the five pal Robertson the television evangelist who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. The series o court decisions does t end the Light said Ira Glasser executive director of the american civil liberties Union. But. He said the decisions confirm thai the Law is on our Side and makes the fight easier 19  since the fundamentalist movement began its most recent push in the schools about 1930, Glasser said it has pursued three lines of attack promoting "5wltyofnottewhjmstherefore Pretl colds and coca zionism pressuring Congress and the courts to permit school prayer and fighting Lor fundamentalist religious Content in Public school curriculum and textbooks. Some advocates of the fundamentalist cause concede Hal in some ways their movement has stalled. The supreme court decision denying equal treatment of creation science looks like the end of the Road on Hal one unless we gel a change in the supreme court makeup Skolrood said. The vote in the Case was 7-2. Bui Skolrood believes that the fundamentalists chances Are better in the Tennessee Case decided on aug. �4 by the . Court of appeals for the sixth circuit. In that Case he noted fundamentalists asked not that any books be banned or any changes be made in the curriculum out Only that parents be allowed to remove their children from certain Public school courses in which fundamentalist values Are nol reflected. Tom appeals court also overturned an order by Federal or Africa judge Thomas g. Hull that the defendant in the Case the school Board of Hawkins county. Tenn., pay the seven families involved in the suit More than $50,000 for private school tuition and other expenses. Should the Case ultimately be lost. Skolrood said there s going to be an exodus from the Public  he added thai parents who withdraw their children on religious grounds should not be required to pay taxes for Public education. What can be expected now a number of experts believe is stepped up pressure at tha local level. There s plenty of action out there whether the Issue b creationism or secular humanism or other educational causes espoused by the political right Wing said Arthur j. Kropp. The executive director of people for the american Way. A Liberal lobbying group. In a report issued aug. 27. Kropp s organization said that attempts to censor books or limit from expression in schools increased by so percent last year. He said Man of these could be raced to targe conservative organizations and fundamentalist groups. I think it s a Tair bet there will now be increased pressure on school boards to accommodate the views of fundamentalist parents said Gary l Bauer president Reagan i Domestic policy adviser. Bauer also said he believed Hal a consensus was developing to restore to Public schools a recognition of the role religion Nas played in american history and culture. Page is the stars and stripes sunday. September so.1987