U.S. federal judge bans theory from public schools.

WASHINGTON - In a closely watched case that has come to symbolize the debate about religion in U.S. public schools, a federal judge yesterday banned the teaching of intelligent design, ruling it advances "a particular version of Christianity" that violates the U.S. Constitution.

In a 139-page decision, Judge John Jones ordered the Dover Area School Board in Harrisburg, Pa., to remove language in its science curriculum stating life on Earth may have been designed by an unidentified intelligent being.

The decision was a setback to conservative Christians in the United States, who have been fighting to introduce intelligent design as a competing theory to the teaching of evolution in schools across the country.

Their supporters include U.S. President George W. Bush, who last summer said American children should be taught both intelligent design and evolution "so people can understand what the debate is about."

But Judge Jones found the teaching of intelligent design breaks a constitutional ban on religion in public schools.

He said evidence presented at the trial showed intelligent design is "nothing less than the progeny of creationism," the belief the world was created by God as outlined in the Book of Genesis.

The judge accused school board members of lying about the religious motivation behind their efforts to cast intelligent design as a legitimate scientific concept.

"We find that the secular purposes claimed by the [Dover school] board amount to a pretext for the board's real purpose, which was to promote religion in the public school classroom," he wrote.

"The breathtaking inanity of the board's decision is evident when considered against the factual backdrop which has now been fully revealed through this trial."

The trial became the highest-profile U.S. case on evolution and religion since the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, when John Scopes, a Tennessee school teacher, was fired for teaching his students Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Proponents of intelligent design argue life on Earth is too complex to have evolved randomly. They do not say who, or what, is responsible for the design.

The Dover school board was the first in the United States to add language about intelligent design to its biology curriculum.

Students were told in a four-paragraph statement that evolution was not fact and there were "gaps" in the theory that could not be explained.

"Intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view," the statement said. It referred students to a book called Of Pandas and People to gain "an understanding of what intelligent design actually involves."

Eleven parents in the district challenged the curriculum change.

During the trial, a science historian testified the Pandas book had merely substituted the words "intelligent design" for "creationism" after the U.S. Supreme Court banned teaching the religious theory as science in 1987.

"Today's ruling is a momentous affirmation of the Constitution's prohibition of government endorsement of religion," said Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way, a liberal political action group in Washington.

"The court recognized that 'intelligent design' is nothing more than religious creationism in disguise."

Richard Thompson, a lawyer for the Thomas More Legal Centre, the Christian law firm that represented the school board, called the decision an "ad hominem attack on scientists who happen to believe in God."

"The founders of this country would be astonished at the thought that this simple curriculum change [was] in violation of the Constitution that they drafted," he said.

During the trial, Michael Behe, a biochemistry professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., testified intelligent design theory is based "entirely on observable, physical evidence from nature."

The "best and most striking" proof of intelligent design is the bacterial flagellum, which he described as "the outboard motor bacteria use to swim." It includes propeller-like components and a motor drive he said were purposefully arranged by a designer.

Prof. Behe and several other intelligent design supporters testified their views were not based on religious beliefs.

But Judge Jones said it was clear from the writing of intelligent design proponents that "the designer postulated by their argument is the God of Christianity."

The decision could have widespread repercussions because Christian activists in 30 states are weighing similar initiatives.

Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Bush believes decisions on curriculum should be made by school boards, not courts.

"The President has also said that he believes students ought to be exposed to different theories and ideas so that they can fully understand what the debate is about," the spokesman said.