Should Creationism or Evolutionism Be Taught in Public Schools?
Should creationism or evolutionism be taught in public schools?
"It appears that some school officials, teachers, and parents have assumed that religious expression of any type is either inappropriate or forbidden altogether in public schools; however, nothing in the First Amendment converts our public schools into religion-free zones" - Bill Clinton. Although, public schools are meant to be religion free sometimes the topic of creationism is brought up and it causes many problems. The main problem is that creationism is religiously based therefore, students feel offended because of their religion. Students and teachers should never be able to discuss religious topics because it interferes with the First Amendment. Although, both evolutionism and creationism are theories, evolution should always be taught mainly while creationism only mentioned.
In the Scopes trial, in 1928, the court decided that evolutionism should be banned from the school curriculum but creationism should be taught. However, in 1968 in Epperson v. Arkansas, Susan Epperson taught evolution in science class, this directly violated a statute of Arkansas that did not allow evolutionism to be taught. Even though Arkansas pleaded that the statute be kept as is, the Supreme Court decided that it was unconstitutional for a religious based theory, creationism, to be taught in a public school. However, the Supreme Court should not have allowed the state of Arkansas to put a statute in action which violated the First Amendment, the right to freedom of religion along with other rights.
The case Edwards vs. Aguillard was when Louisiana established a statute similar to that of Arkansas ' but, it also stated that the theory of evolution could be taught if the teacher also included the theory of "creationism science". The Supreme Court found this to violate the First Amendment clause because creationism science is a theory with a religious view. Secondly,
"It appears that some school officials, teachers, and parents have assumed that religious expression of any type is either inappropriate or forbidden altogether in public schools; however, nothing in the First Amendment converts our public schools into religion-free zones" - Bill Clinton. Although, public schools are meant to be religion free sometimes the topic of creationism is brought up and it causes many problems. The main problem is that creationism is religiously based therefore, students feel offended because of their religion. Students and teachers should never be able to discuss religious topics because it interferes with the First Amendment. Although, both evolutionism and creationism are theories, evolution should always be taught mainly while creationism only mentioned.
In the Scopes trial, in 1928, the court decided that evolutionism should be banned from the school curriculum but creationism should be taught. However, in 1968 in Epperson v. Arkansas, Susan Epperson taught evolution in science class, this directly violated a statute of Arkansas that did not allow evolutionism to be taught. Even though Arkansas pleaded that the statute be kept as is, the Supreme Court decided that it was unconstitutional for a religious based theory, creationism, to be taught in a public school. However, the Supreme Court should not have allowed the state of Arkansas to put a statute in action which violated the First Amendment, the right to freedom of religion along with other rights.
The case Edwards vs. Aguillard was when Louisiana established a statute similar to that of Arkansas ' but, it also stated that the theory of evolution could be taught if the teacher also included the theory of "creationism science". The Supreme Court found this to violate the First Amendment clause because creationism science is a theory with a religious view. Secondly,
Cited: “Epperson v. Arkansas.” Cornell University Law School. 8 Apr. 2009 . “Intelligent Design on Trial: Kitzmiller v. Dover.” National Center for Science Education. 14 Apr. 2009 . "Edwards v. Aguillard." Cornell University Law School. 14 Apr. 2009 .