Proposal to the Elected School Board

Proposal for the Public School Board

First Amendment and the Establishment Clause

Passed in 1785, the First Amendment forbids the congress to make no law in regards to the establishment of any particular religion. It also forbids the legislative body to make any law which prohibits the free exercise of any particular religion or restricting the freedom of religious expression (www.learner.org). The Establishment Law furthers the purpose of the First Amendment and restricts any actions of the regulatory body of the education sector for preferential handling of one religion over any other (Brougher, 2009).

Louisiana's Creationism Act

The Creationism Act of Louisiana (1987) takes another angle of religious freedom and educational reforms resorting to one particular religion. According to it, the evolution theory should not be taught in the public schools except that the instruction of the creation science theory accompanies it (Dorman, 2005).

The separation of state and the church has been one of the most talked about issues in the US history and contemporary discussions. Schools are a primary source of education and development for children. Religious extremism or preference should be prohibited in the public schools. As the superintendent of the public schools looking over the administration of the school and its related issues, the board deems essential the prohibition of preferential courses or teaching of theories.

The Creationism Act follows the First Amendment but violates the Establishment clause. In the light of Justice Brennan's opinion on the Edwards v. Aguillard case, the Creationism Act in reality violates the Establishment Clause. The district court also held that the act was in contrary to the Establishment Clause because the Act prohibited the teaching of theory of evolution but supports the teaching of creation science.

The creation science supports the form of teaching that preaches and furthers a religious group or sector ...