ATLANTA — Lawyers for the Alabama Board of Education sent a notice of appeal to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, seeking reversal of a judge's ruling banning 44 textbooks from Alabama public schools for promoting the "religion" of secular humanism.
U.S. District Judge W. Brevard Hand banned the books March 4 on grounds that they promoted humanism as a religion, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
The 44 textbooks included the subjects of home economics, history and social studies for elementary and high school levels. Hand's ruling came in a lawsuit brought by 600 parents and teachers who challenged the use of the books.
The liberal organization People for the American Way intervened on behalf of the school board and 12 parents who opposed the textbook review. The books have been used in more than 100 of the state's 130 school systems. Hand refused Monday to suspend his order during the appeals process.
