Is creationism in schools a breach of separation of church and state?

Question

Sarah Palin wants to teach creationism along side evolution as a science, is that possible??

Answer 1

It is a breach.  If people want their children to learn creationism, teach it in church, teach it at home.  Why is it government funded schools job to teach their kids that??

Answer 2

thankfully i'm not american. how is teaching that we are on this earth at the whim of some higher power not preaching a religion, notably christian religion? it will never legally happen.

Answer 3

Yes, it is.  It is christian propaganda hijacking science.  If people want to teach creationsim then have them send their kids to a private school or teach them on their own time.

I doubt christians would like their children to be exposed to all of the various creationists stories such as The Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster and Scientology.

Science explains the natural world and creationism poorly attempts to explain the unnatural.  They are incompatible.

Answer 4

No way should a philosophy be taught in science classes.  Though I am Christian, creationism is not science, it's a personal opinion and has no place in objective study.  If it's included in biology, then alchemy should be included along with chemistry.

Answer 5

I think if you checked your sources a little more thoroughly, instead of listening to internet gossip, you would know that she DOES NOT want to teach creationism along side evolution.  I think what she actually said was, 'I don't think there should be prohibition against creationism if it's brought up in the classroom."  She thinks it's good to open up the discussion rather than sweep it under the carpet.

Which is very different from what you suggest.

FYI - Our science teacher was thankfully very open to this in highschool.  And I am grateful he actually approached the topic with respect rather than ridicule.  At that age, I would have felt terrible if he simply dismissed my concerns for simply being 'taboo.'

Answer 6

First, their is no such thing as "Separation of Church and State"  in the Constitution.  It is from a letter Jefferson wrote that has been widely misinterpreted.  Second, it is a freedom of religion not freedom from religion.  They were trying to guarantee a right to practice religion not have it removed from our society.

Answer 7

Yes it is!

Answer 8

In all fairness, Sarah Palin does not want creationism taught as a science. To claim that would be also claiming Palin knew what the h**l she was talking about and actually learned something in a science class.

Answer 9

To teach creationism is a Christian view of how man/woman were put on this earth.  Yes, it is out of place in schools.  I don't happen to think that teaching evolution is anything but science.  I accept evolution, but feel that God's hand was directing each step in the process.  I can't help but feel that when the Bible was written people would ever have imagined such a thing & could never have accepted it, even if some had been smart enough to have figured it out!

Answer 10

I doubt it's possible.  Otherwise, it would have already happened.

Despite being a serious Christian, I don't agree with her.  I feel that church schools are enough education for that.  If you want your kids to learn creationism, have them read the Bible.  That's why it was written.  Also, I don't understand why evolution is against God.  Technically, God created evolution.  So it discredits the Adam and Eve story.  Whatever.  That story was just a simple parable to make it easier to teach God's words to the less complex people.

Answer 11

Yes its a breach of separation of church and state.  And no its not possible.

Answer 12

Yes it is because the Creation of the World has different versions for different religious beliefs held in our Country, American Indian beliefs for one example, many spiritual people who have a different version personally or as groups.

It also forces a religious view on a scientific study that does not fit with the facts we do know.  

Evolution is a scientific theory which means it has been objectively tested and studied by many people very carefully over a long period of time. It what we consider proven as factual.

We are falling behind other industrialized Nations due to our lack of science and math education.  So whatever one believes in we are being punished for our failure to accept reality.

Answer 13

Supreme Court appointments are a huge concern in the McCain/Palin scenario.  Creationism maybe, certainly fear the federal mandate prohibiting abortions, McCain has been crystal clear on that one.  We'll be back to the coathanger days.  Also, don't look for any progress on g*y rights.  That will probably go in the opposite direction, nullifying marriages etc.  They're both extremely conservative, fundamentalist religious fanatics, with their fingers on the pulse of oil supremacy.

Answer 14

yep it's a breach of church and state .  

Answer 15

Yes it is.

To be fair the "separation of church and state" is not specifically called out in the 1st amendment.  It is first used in a letter from Jefferson describing the intent behind it.  And then later used in several Supreme Court decisions.

And yes evolution is "just a theory".  And if it wasn't science "just a theory" would mean a guess or something, but in science a guess becomes a hypothesis once you have enough evidence to make an educated guess.  Then you try to prove it correct and you try to prove it false.  If you prove it true and no one can prove it false it becomes either a theory or a law.  Laws explain what happens and theories explain how it happens.  Once it is proved false by a peer then it is no longer a theory or a law.

Answer 16

Creationism is a religious belief. It isn't science. It shouldn't be taught in school. We have a Constitution that clearly separates Church & state.

Answer 17

No.   Teaching that the world began from nothing and is getting better is teaching ignorance.  

Teaching creationism should be taught as another theory.    The only way we can accept a theory is by faith and fact.  It takes more faith for me to believe that this was created without a creator takes more faith than to believe in a superior being who is in charge.  There are not enough facts to prove the theory of evolution.

Separation of church and state is simply the idea that the state cannot tell you how to worship and the church cannot tell the officials how to run the government.

Teaching ideas is what public schools should do.  It is censorship to keep students from being presented with an alternate view.  Students should be able to think and decide for themselves what they believe.  This is the way we teach in our  homeschool.  This is the way the public school teaches in every area except for physical science and biology.

Answer 18

Oh ye of little intellect.

Where has it been said evolution is fact! No true scientist would say such a thing. Evolution is a theory! NEVER proven. Both require some faith.