What do you think is the most controversial topic related to public school? Maybe book censorship? Or what we are being fed at lunch? Those are all very important, but maybe the most controversial topic in today’s education system is evolution vs. creationism: which theory should be taught in school?
If you’ve taken U.S. Government and Politics then you’re most likely aware of the Free Exercise Clause in the Constitution. It’s the part that says enforcing a religion upon somebody is a violation of their rights. This also applies to public schools as they are prohibited from promoting specific religions in the classroom, however, states often challenge evolution and use creationism ideas to do so.
But, there are exceptions to teaching creationism in the classroom as it is acceptable and constitutional as long as it’s taught for academic purposes and not enforced as a religious ideology. Because of these exceptions and the need for a more diverse viewpoint in education, public schools should teach BOTH evolution and creationism in the classroom.
Why Creationism?
People who would feel strongly about the teaching creationism in the classrooms would argue that creationism should be taught in school because it promotes religious diversity since it allows for students to learn about a religion that they may or may not know much about.
For instance, in the article, “How to Teach Religion in Public Schools,” Kafer notes, “A wide array of public-education groups has found that teaching about religion is essential to subjects such as history, social studies, literature, the arts, and geography.” This shows that creationism can be seen as an essential form of education across many subjects.
It would be easy to include creationism in the classroom because though the laws seem strict, religious texts such as the Bible, the Quran, and the Torah are allowed to be taught and read in public schools for academic purposes.
Why Evolution?
An alternate perspective on this issue is that only evolution should be taught in public schools because it is a scientific theory of human existence that doesn’t include a religious bias. In almost all areas of this country, teaching about creationism conflicts with some students’ religious beliefs, which is why evolution should be taught instead.
Many supporters of the evolution theory agree that creationism conflicts with scientifically proven facts and that religion and science don’t mesh well when it comes to these two theories. According to one person, “I kind of drew a line early on, that there is science, and the Bible didn’t have an aspect in it.”
The Solution
So what should be the final decision? Realistically, teaching both evolution and creationism in public schools is the best solution for this debate because it would help make students more aware of their options when it comes to the origin of life and learn how to form their own opinion on topics similar to this one. “It’s like they’re saying, ‘Some people see it this way, some people see it that way, so just teach it all and let the kids figure it out.’”
But how should public schools carry out this plan? In this case, for evolution, schools should continue to present it as the scientifically accepted theory that explains the existence of life on Earth to ensure that students understand the foundations of modern biology.
The plan for implementing creationism into the curriculum may seem more difficult, but something that most people don’t know is that “The Supreme Court has emphasized that it is permissible and even desirable in public schools to teach the Bible and other religious documents from a literary, cultural, or historical perspective.” Meaning that adding creationism to the classroom would be simpler than most think it is as it can be taught as a historical topic since it is an important part of many religions and cultures.
Though not all students can engage in a classroom that acknowledges the existence of another religion that isn’t their own, it has also been proven that in scenarios, such as this one, that students can still thrive in their learning environment. For example, “Students have been successful in asserting religious reasons in order to be excused from some assignments and activities (e.g., folk dancing, reading a specific novel) as long as an alternative assignment can satisfy the school’s objectives and the exemption doesn’t interfere with the student’s education or the school program.”
In conclusion, evolution and creationism are both valid theories, with evolution being supported by scientific evidence and creationism based on religious faith. Both perspectives should be taught in public schools, as they both explain the creation of life, but should be considered separate subjects in discussions.
