After the Institute for Creation Research‘s move from Santee, California, to Dallas, Texas in 2007, the Site Team from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) evaluated the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) and gave their initial approval for this Graduate School to receive a Certificate of Authority so that they could grant degrees in Texas. This initial approval was affirmed in December 2007 by THECB Advisory Committee. Despite both approvals, the THECB Commissioner Raymond Paredes “rejected both reports as ‘flawed’ and instead convened a separate panel of scientists and science educators that advised him not to approve the ICRGS application. ICRGS scientists and faculty were not included in or allowed to respond to this panel.” On Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Commissioner Pardes recommended that ICRGS be denied Texas’ Certificate of Authority. On the following day, THECB unanimously voted to follow Pardes’ recommendation.

If you look at ICRGS’ purpose, philosophy and the academic qualifications of its professors, IMNSHO, it looks like THECB’s denial of ICRGS’ request to grant degrees in Texas is inconsistent with its earlier decision to approve ICRGS and a denial of their academic freedom. For more on this, read “Texas Education Officials Strike Blow to Academic Freedom” (to see ICRGS’s press release on April 25, click here).