Yet More From Kansas

Religion professor’s e-mail outrages critics

By Sophia Maines

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Topeka — Critics of a Kansas University course on intelligent design say an e-mail written by the professor proves the course is meant to mock religious fundamentalists.

KU Provost David Shulenburger said Wednesday he regretted the words used in the e-mail, but he backed the professor and the course, maintaining it would be taught in a professional manner like all other courses.

In a recent message on a Yahoo listserv — a venue where groups of people post questions and comments on a particular topic — Paul Mirecki, chairman of KU’s department of religious studies, described his upcoming course “Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationisms and other Religious Mythologies.”

“The fundies want it all taught in a science class, but this will be a nice slap in their big fat face by teaching it as a religious studies class under the category ‘mythology,’” Mirecki wrote.

He signed the note “Doing my part (to upset) the religious right, Evil Dr. P.”

“My understanding was that was a private e-mail communication that somehow was moved out of those channels and has become a public document,” Shulenburger said.

The course follows the Kansas Board of Education’s recent adoption of new public school science standards that critique the theory of evolution.

State Sen. Karin Brownlee, R-Olathe, said the comments concerned her.

“His intent to make a mockery of Christian beliefs is inappropriate,” she said.

Mirecki said he wrote the message in a private e-mail and that an outsider had accessed the listserv.

“They had been reading my e-mails all along,” he said. “Where are the ethics in that, I ask.”

When asked about his reaction to the outrage voiced by conservatives, Mirecki said: “A lot of people are mad about what’s going on in Kansas, and I’m one of them.”