The "Devil in Dover" is a near masterpiece. Author/Reporter Lauri Lebo's focus on the Kitzmiller v. Dover trial focuses on the people involved in the trial and the drama they experienced. The book covers the initial efforts to use the power of Dover's local school board to undermine the teaching of evolution and introduce competing religious beliefs through the post-trial ramifications for the people involved in the trial.
The plaintiffs are the parents, teachers, and attorneys who took a stand to defend public school students' constitutional and ethical right to be taught science in the science classroom rather than having it suppressed and possibly seeing it supplanted with discredited religious notions.
The defendants' story is also told; it primarily includes those who took over the school board to begin to implement such a process along with their legal counsel and a few of the key experts testifying on their behalf. Lebo also does an excellent job of reporting the testimony of the Dover School Board members in regards to their almost perfect ignorance of not only scientific methodology and the theory of evolution they rejected in spite of their ignorance, but even near total ignorance of their own religious ideas they proposed be included in Dover's science classrooms. Lebo does a near-genius job of providing a nuanced perspective of the defendants in spite of behavior from them that begs caricature, a classy job by Ms. Lebo to resist such temptation.
Part of Lebo's perspective, apart from being the local newspaper reporter for the trial, is that she's the daughter of a socially conservative Christian who owns the local Dover AM Christian radio station. Her father is a good man who unconditionally loves his daughter in spite of her doubt and unconditionally loves others in need. She's also a member of this small community where like all small towns, anonymity is impossible when taking stands and therefore tensions run high as relationships are strained. For those that grew up fundie and eventually were able to move beyond fundamentalist/evangelicalism's primitive, prejudicial notions, this aspect of the story will resonate. Other reasons the book is such a great read is the very personal perspective Lebo brings to the Dover Trial as the local newspaper reporter of record on the trial coupled to her distinguished and currently rare journalism skills as they pertain to reporting on the science/creationism controversy.
The rare aspect of her reporting is her not falling for a fallacy of balance angle like her newspapers' editors promote be used. Instead Lebo reports the facts in an honest framework; which is why her reportage is so consistent with the outcome of the ruling. We don't get "he said, she said" style reporting that her newspaper's editors believe was needed to achieve a "fair and balanced" story. We instead get "he/she said" backed with validated facts that either supports or invalidates the claims being made by the characters in the book. Bravo to Ms. Lebo for adhering to such high standards!
Some have criticized this book for not sufficiently reporting the scientific evidence that easily and overwhelmingly discredits creationism/ID along with providing the evidence that has caused the theory of evolution to become an unchallenged, peer-accepted theory given the overwhelming weight of evidence supporting the general hypotheses, along with a failure to adequately report the details of the arguments made by creationists and how those arguments have been falsified by empirical evidence. I would argue that would have detracted from the human drama Ms. Lebo discusses given that is a book or two length treatise in itself.
For a primer on the controversy one can do no better than read Judge Jones' ruling and opinion, which can be found at Wikipedia by searching for "Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District". The trial transcripts of the testimony by several of the witnesses also provide convincing evidence and extremely compelling reading of how easy the ruling was for the judge while presenting the evidence for evolution and the absurdity of the creationist/ID argument, especially the transcripts from the plaintiffs' witnesses: Barbara Forrest, Rob Pennock, and Kenneth Miller and the key transcripts for the defense: Dr. Michael Behe - the only remotely credible scientific witness in Dover's defense and how he's exposed as a fraud along with the Dover School Board members who implemented the new policy. If the reader would like to become better informed on the evidence for evolution, the best book to start with is U. of Chicago biology professor Dr. Jerry Coyne's
Why Evolution Is True
. For a treatise on the ID movement one can do no better than Dr. Barbara Forrest's
Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design
.
One excellent example of how the trial transcripts can't provide the reader with the total perspective of this debate is Ms. Lebo's reportage on how the plaintiffs and defendants acted in court when the technical aspects of the arguments were being presented. Lebo presents absolutely priceless material on who was actively engaged and listening, who was not, along with how the opinions of the creationists changed or did not change after hearing actual scientists present their evidence and case while having their scientific experts exposed as frauds. One debate about the nature of social conservatism and their adherents' near-total lack of intellectual honesty and almost total ignorance regarding science is whether they are virulently ignorant and/or just plain delusional; Lebo provides compelling raw material to help fuel such reasoned inquiry though limits herself to reporting the event, leaving the conclusion to the reader and relevant experts.
My criticism of the book is the lack of content responding to the apparently benign nature of the School Board's final requests for a minor change to the curriculum relative to the curriculum being taught. I think most Americans have this sense that evolution is being taught in their classrooms so what's the big deal if science teachers have to also incorporate a few minor challenges to such. Open-mindedness is a trait most Americans claim for themselves and claim to reward in others.
However the reality, which is under-reported in this book, is that most public school students are not sufficiently taught the theory of evolution, not even close. I believe this is a primary factor for most Americans rejecting the theory; anti-science arguments are almost always composed at least partially as an argument from ignorance. These people are simply not aware of the overwhelming physical evidence and our ability to utilize the principles of evolution as a key factor in technical innovation, especially in the health care and food industries.
While Ms. Lebo briefly covers this topic, I believe it's not sufficient enough to be convincing or provide an accurate perspective of the dearth of material covered in most public school science curriculums. I think having a discussion of the evidence college entry-level biology teachers believe should be covered in high school would be a good start. In addition, a review of how insufficient evolution is taught due to local Christianist pressure would have helped drive the point home to the reader to not consider the question a mere binary one. Most people do not know for example that only 25% of state school boards require human evolution even be taught at the high school level, let alone elementary school level where it should begin. Providing several pages arguing for the necessity of sufficient coverage throughout the elementary through high school to insure a retention of understanding would help compel more readers to take a look at the quality and volume of their own community's curriculum rather than merely asking whether evolution is taught or not taught. It would have also better personalized the issue for the reader, just like Lebo personalized her story that dramatically enhanced her book and its impact.
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Evolution Wins Over Intelligent Design
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2020
Dover, Pennsylvania will forever be known as the place where an important trial was decided that helped solidify the stand against intelligent design as a scientific alternative to evolution. The trial received national and worldwide coverage and many journalists were present, covering the trial in their own unique way. One journalist who lived the experience was Laura Lebo and she summarizes her journey in this book, The Devil in Dover.I can remember when this trial was taking place and, like many people, I knew that there was much at stake. It was obvious that a group of people was trying to interject their own religious beliefs, slowly but surely, into science classrooms. It was equally obvious that someone would recognize the threat and initiate a lawsuit. This is what happened in Dover and this book does a good job covering the event from start to finish.What I like best about The Devil in Dover is how the book helps the reader get to know the people involved in the trial. The book covers both sides, plaintiffs and defendants, and introduces key individuals on a personal level. You feel like you know them as people, and it helps make for a better understanding of the trial and how it played out from day to day. I also like how the author intertwines her own personal story and struggle with religion into the narrative. She was raised in a household with parents who encouraged beliefs like those of the people who advocated intelligent design. She shares her own struggles dealing with her own father and trying to get him to understand that intelligent design might be fine to promote in a church setting, but it has no place in a science classroom.After reading this book, I came away with a few important takeaways. Most important among them is that religious zealots will stop at nothing to spread their dogma. If lying is necessary, then they will lie. Their end goal of propagating their personal beliefs is, I assume, too important to them to go about things in an honest way. Another takeaway is that, thankfully, there is still enough common sense and support for the separation of church and state that situations like the one in Dover can be put to rest. Even in a small, mostly conservative town, respect for the US Constitution and the maintenance of sound science standards in the classroom prevailed.The Dover trial is long over now and the Devil in Dover is a good book for understanding the people, the motives, and the end result of one of the most important trials in the 21st century thus far. If you’re looking for a book that cross- analyzes the evidence and explains the how and why of intelligent Design and why it doesn’t pass for science, then this is not the book for you. This is more of a social studies book and personal narrative of sorts and it’s a good way to understand more about the people who took part in this important legal decision.
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2020
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 14, 2009
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2020
I can remember when this trial was taking place and, like many people, I knew that there was much at stake. It was obvious that a group of people was trying to interject their own religious beliefs, slowly but surely, into science classrooms. It was equally obvious that someone would recognize the threat and initiate a lawsuit. This is what happened in Dover and this book does a good job covering the event from start to finish.
What I like best about The Devil in Dover is how the book helps the reader get to know the people involved in the trial. The book covers both sides, plaintiffs and defendants, and introduces key individuals on a personal level. You feel like you know them as people, and it helps make for a better understanding of the trial and how it played out from day to day. I also like how the author intertwines her own personal story and struggle with religion into the narrative. She was raised in a household with parents who encouraged beliefs like those of the people who advocated intelligent design. She shares her own struggles dealing with her own father and trying to get him to understand that intelligent design might be fine to promote in a church setting, but it has no place in a science classroom.
After reading this book, I came away with a few important takeaways. Most important among them is that religious zealots will stop at nothing to spread their dogma. If lying is necessary, then they will lie. Their end goal of propagating their personal beliefs is, I assume, too important to them to go about things in an honest way. Another takeaway is that, thankfully, there is still enough common sense and support for the separation of church and state that situations like the one in Dover can be put to rest. Even in a small, mostly conservative town, respect for the US Constitution and the maintenance of sound science standards in the classroom prevailed.
The Dover trial is long over now and the Devil in Dover is a good book for understanding the people, the motives, and the end result of one of the most important trials in the 21st century thus far. If you’re looking for a book that cross- analyzes the evidence and explains the how and why of intelligent Design and why it doesn’t pass for science, then this is not the book for you. This is more of a social studies book and personal narrative of sorts and it’s a good way to understand more about the people who took part in this important legal decision.
Evolution Wins Over Intelligent Design
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2020
Dover, Pennsylvania will forever be known as the place where an important trial was decided that helped solidify the stand against intelligent design as a scientific alternative to evolution. The trial received national and worldwide coverage and many journalists were present, covering the trial in their own unique way. One journalist who lived the experience was Laura Lebo and she summarizes her journey in this book, The Devil in Dover.Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2020
I can remember when this trial was taking place and, like many people, I knew that there was much at stake. It was obvious that a group of people was trying to interject their own religious beliefs, slowly but surely, into science classrooms. It was equally obvious that someone would recognize the threat and initiate a lawsuit. This is what happened in Dover and this book does a good job covering the event from start to finish.
What I like best about The Devil in Dover is how the book helps the reader get to know the people involved in the trial. The book covers both sides, plaintiffs and defendants, and introduces key individuals on a personal level. You feel like you know them as people, and it helps make for a better understanding of the trial and how it played out from day to day. I also like how the author intertwines her own personal story and struggle with religion into the narrative. She was raised in a household with parents who encouraged beliefs like those of the people who advocated intelligent design. She shares her own struggles dealing with her own father and trying to get him to understand that intelligent design might be fine to promote in a church setting, but it has no place in a science classroom.
After reading this book, I came away with a few important takeaways. Most important among them is that religious zealots will stop at nothing to spread their dogma. If lying is necessary, then they will lie. Their end goal of propagating their personal beliefs is, I assume, too important to them to go about things in an honest way. Another takeaway is that, thankfully, there is still enough common sense and support for the separation of church and state that situations like the one in Dover can be put to rest. Even in a small, mostly conservative town, respect for the US Constitution and the maintenance of sound science standards in the classroom prevailed.
The Dover trial is long over now and the Devil in Dover is a good book for understanding the people, the motives, and the end result of one of the most important trials in the 21st century thus far. If you’re looking for a book that cross- analyzes the evidence and explains the how and why of intelligent Design and why it doesn’t pass for science, then this is not the book for you. This is more of a social studies book and personal narrative of sorts and it’s a good way to understand more about the people who took part in this important legal decision.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Nita
I was expecting detailed debunking of the Intelligent Design claims, but found none
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 23, 2019
mcewin
Kitzmiller vs Dover, from inside the community
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on August 16, 2009
