December 15, 2005 Study Session and Special School Board Meeting   Board Chair Adams absent; all other members present. (see the official minutes here)  At the Study Session preceding this meeting, the Board agreed to vote on all of the science standards that evening; MHS Principal Dave Adney discussed options for weighted grades; a citizen made a complaint against Board members Eaton and Wenmark for their e-mail threatening legal action after the citizen expressed disapproval at their actions during the campaign - the citizen asked the Board to review the matter in the context of their Code of Conduct and Operating Principles. During Public Comments, 20 individuals spoke to the Board concerning the science standards, 13 in favor of keeping Minnetonka's standards intact, and 7 in favor of wording changes that would allow for intelligent design and related concepts, and weaken the teaching of evolution. Board Member Carol Eastlund read a prepared statement showing the connections between Intelligent Design and certain sects of Christianity. The Board voted 5-2 to retain existing science standards, which include teaching the theory of evolution as the explanation for the development and diversity of life on Earth over 3+ billion years The Minnetonka standards continue to require critical analysis of all scientific models and theories, but do not single out evolution as Mr. Eaton recommended. Although Mr. Eaton and Mr. Wenmark insisted the changes they favored were not about Intelligent Design, the vast majority of people who spoke, or who wrote to the Board - both for the changes and against them - recognized that this was indeed, about Intelligent Design.

December 20, 2005 - Federal Judge John Jones III ruled that the Dover, Pennsylvania school district's endorsement of Intelligent Design is unconstitutional. "...the disclaimer singles out the theory of evolution for special treatment, misrepresents its status in the scientific community, causes students to doubt its validity without scientific justification, presents students with a religious alternative masquerading as a scientific theory, directs them to consult a creationist text as though it were a science resource, and instructs students to forego scientific inquiry in the public school classroom and instead to seek out religious instructions elsewhere..." To read a summary of the court's decision, go here
To read the full 139 page decision, go here