President Jones to Reflect on the Legacy of the Scopes 'Monkey’ Trial and the 20th Anniversary of His Landmark ‘Intelligent Design’ Ruling
Dickinson College President John E. Jones III '77, P'11
Exploring Cases on Evolution and 'Intelligent Design'
by Craig Layne
Dickinson will host a public discussion exploring two watershed court cases at the intersection of science, religion and education as they mark major milestone anniversaries this year. The event, “Dayton to Dover: Reflections on the Centennial of the Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial,” will take place Monday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Stern Center Great Room. A reception from 6 to 7 p.m will precede the discussion. The program, hosted by Dickinson’s offices of the president and provost, is free and open to the public.
The panel discussion will explore the cultural, educational and scientific fallout of the 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial on the teaching of evolution in Dayton, Tennessee, and the "intelligent design" case, Kitzmiller v. Dover, which was decided in December 2005.
Dickinson President John E. Jones III '77, P'11, who in his prior post as a U.S. District Court judge presided over the Kitzmiller v. Dover case, will share reflections on his landmark ruling, issued 20 years ago. The decision was the first to declare that “intelligent design” could not be taught as science in public schools, maintaining religious neutrality in public education as required by the First Amendment.
Dickinson Provost and Dean of the College Renée Cramer will moderate the discussion among Jones and two co-facilitators from Shippensburg University: Joseph W. Shane, professor of chemistry and science education, and Steven Lichtman, associate professor and pre-law advisor. Together, they will engage President Jones in a conversation tracing the historical and legal threads that connect Scopes and Dover, two defining moments that continue to influence how Americans think about faith, evidence and learning.
“The Scopes and Dover cases mark turning points in the national dialogue about science and belief,” said Cramer. “President Jones’ firsthand perspective offers a powerful lens on how those debates continue to shape classrooms and communities today.”
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Published November 14, 2025