Devolving

Brassy:

The shirts, which were designed to promote the band’s fall program, are light gray and feature an image of a monkey progressing through stages and eventually emerging as a man. Each figure holds a brass instrument. Several instruments decorate the background and the words “Smith-Cotton High School Tiger Pride Marching Band” and “Brass Evolutions 2009” are emblazoned above and below the image.

Kloppenburg said the shirts were intended to portray how brass instruments have evolved in music from the 1960s to modern day. Summers said they chose the evolution of man because it was “recognizable.”

The band debuted the T-shirts when it marched in the Missouri State Fair parade. Summers said he was surprised when he received a direct complaint after the parade.
While the shirts don’t directly violate the district’s dress code, Assistant Superintendent Brad Pollitt said complaints by parents made him take action.

“I made the decision to have the band members turn the shirts in after several concerned parents brought the shirts to my attention,” Pollitt said.

Pollitt said the district is required by law to remain neutral where religion is concerned.

And since when is the scientific theory of evolution a "religion"? A few people getting their panties in a knot because their religion doesn't agree with it is not the same thing as religious neutrality. Freedom of religion does not mean the right to never be offended. These people are as bad as the Obamites, they're just on the opposite end of the spectrum.

I would submit that if you're afraid exposure to alternative ideas will turn your child away from your chosen religion, then your position is based on ignorance and emotion rather than information and confidence.

“If the shirts had said ‘Brass Resurrections’ and had a picture of Jesus on the cross, we would have done the same thing,” he said.

Yes, but such a shirt would have been nonsensical -- much like Fundamentalist creationism. I was steeped up to my ears in it for 16 years, and it makes less sense to me now than it ever did. If you choose to believe it, that's your prerogative, but it does not give you the right to suppress counterpoint and scientific expression simply because it impinges on your warm, comfy emotional blanket. I understand that this sort of willful stupidity comes from both extremes of the political spectrum -- the ACLU fighting to have religious symbols removed from the Seal of California is one example -- but opposing idiocy with idiocy is never a valid tactic.

Remember that whole tolerance thing? Try it.

(N.B. - Islam is not eligible for polite tolerance until they get their humanitarian and women's rights records up to snuff.)