Just to place this in context. ICR has authority to grant this same degree in California. So it is unusual that California would allow them to grant a master degree in science but Texas will not.

April 25, 2008

From the desk of Dr. Henry M. Morris III
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends of ICR:

As you may have heard by now, the ICR Graduate School's application to grant degrees in Texas was rejected yesterday by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Many of our friends and constituents have been praying for us during this time, and we thank you for your intercession and your help.

Below is the statement that ICR has released to the media regarding the state's decision.

# # #

Dallas, April 25, 2008 - Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Commissioner Raymund Paredes on Wednesday recommended that the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) be denied a Certificate of Authority to grant degrees in the state. On Thursday, the Board voted unanimously to accept Paredes' recommendation.

Paredes issued his recommendation, formulated in advance, despite the approval of both the THECB Site Team, which evaluated the ICRGS in November 2007, and the THECB Advisory Committee that affirmed the Site Team's approval in December 2007. He rejected both reports as "flawed" and instead convened a separate panel of scientists and science educators that advised him not to approve the ICRGS application. ICRGS scientists and faculty were not included in or allowed to respond to this panel.

On Thursday, Joe Stafford, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Research, read into record a Texas Education Code statute about preventing public deception in the face of "fraudulent" or "substandard" college and university degrees. ICRGS representatives present at the meeting were not allowed to respond to this mischaracterization of the graduate program.

The manner in which the hearing was conducted was characterized by viewpoint discrimination. Prior to Wednesday's consideration of the ICRGS application, THECB committee chairperson Lyn Bracewell Phillips allowed public testimony for 30 minutes on the ICRGS application. Several political activists, including Steven Schafersman--who had evidently not reviewed the ICRGS application materials--launched ad hominem attacks against the credibility and reputation of the ICRGS and its faculty.

Critics have attempted to draw false associations between the ICRGS program and attempts to introduce religion into taxpayer-funded public schools, even though the ICRGS is a private postgraduate institution seeking to train science educators for private schools.

Questions have surfaced concerning the treatment of the ICRGS application by THECB officials and whether Commissioner Paredes and his agency altered the normal process of application review because of external pressures based on ideological biases against the ICRGS.

Under Texas law, the ICRGS may appeal the decision of the Commission or seek other remedies as appropriate.

# # #

Please continue to pray for ICR as we consult with our Board and experts in the field regarding the next step to take in this process. Be assured that ICR is committed to cutting-edge scientific research, advanced education in the sciences for teachers, and the passionate communication of the wonders of God’s creation.

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you as you seek to serve Him.

Dr. Henry Morris III
CEO, Institute for Creation Research

Would graduates of this program also be permitted to use this degree in taxpayer-funded schools? Would it have the same weight as an MS degree granted by an accredited institution?

I believe the degree from California is accredited. It would have to be in order to qualify teachers to teach at accredited Christian schools (I think). Whether or not they can use the California degree in a taxpayer-funded school I think depends on the the administration of the school. However the degree is designed for science teachers in Christian schools colleges and universities.

This is basically the state of Texas indirectly telling Christian schools what they can and cannot teach in their science classrooms. If the state can prevent creation science teachers from becoming qualified to teach science than they can prevent them from teaching science even in the private-school classroom. And this at a time when natural scientists are trying to debunk the premise of "Expelled".

One doesn't need a graduate degree to teach elementary or high school science.

When a school seeks accreditation, it's already allowing the state some say in what can and can't be taught in that school.

And there are certainly other institutions where science teachers can get graduate degrees. It's not as if the state of Texas is inhospitable to creationists.

It certainly appears as if the state of Texas is being inhospitable to creationists.

Of course accreditation places certain requirements on schools. However in order for private schools to be relevant in today's society, accreditation is necessary.

Many Christian denomination have colleges and universities. Many private high schools teach college-level classes which provide college credit for students they can take with them when they go to college. So graduate degrees are something private schools need for their teachers.

This is another example of the natural science community saying that if one doesn't believe in evolution they can't teach science. Only this time they are on the wrong side of the separation of church and state. When they say creation cannot be taught in public school they are in a position of defending the separation of church and state. When they say that a religious institute cannot educate science teachers to teach in religious schools they are in the position of violating separation of church and state. It really casts a shadow on their objection to teaching creation in public school. Are they really concerned about the separation of church and state or are they just trying to use the civil government to enforce their agenda on those that disagree with them?

Like I said, one doesn't need an advanced degree to teach high school science. But it certainly doesn't hurt.

Does ICR still offer degrees in California?

Yes, they are based out of California.

Huh. I thought they moved to Texas.

Quick question: In a situation like this, how does one decide whether the decision was made on the basis of (a) opposition to creationism or (b) the fact that the graduate program was simply not, for whatever reason, credible? (Too few PhDs, too few active researchers, inappropriately set up grading procedures. etc.) There do need to be quality criteria for graduate programs, and the process is quite rigorous. Avondale College in Australia has been trying to become accredited as a university for about 10 years, and has so far been unsuccessful, and it is *not* because of creationism.

I'm not making any *statement* about the reason for this decision - and I agree that the ad hoc changes to procedures look bad. I'm making the philosophical and practical point that it's quite possible the decision was made on grounds other than opposition to creationism.

Unless Texas has higher standards than California, it looks real bad. It pretty much looks like anti-creationism to the point of violating the separation of church and state.

I am not aware they have moved to Texas. Their website lists their address as: 10946 Woodside Ave N, Santee, CA 92071

Their website also states:
* Pursuant to California and Federal law, ICRGS currently offers an M.S. in Science Education, mostly online, to qualified students who are not Texas residents. ICR is currently examining its legal options regarding how it can best serve the educational "gaps" of Texas residents.