Mock Supreme Court

In the United States Department of Education archives, it clearly states: “Public schools may not provide religious instruction, but they may teach about religion, including the Bible or other scripture: the history of religion, comparative religion, the Bible (or other scripture)-as-literature, and the role of religion in the history of the United States and other countries all are permissible public school subjects.”

This means that the Schools are allowed to teach religion or the Bible, as a school subject- not as a way of life. They are forbidden to teach it as a way to believe. They cannot force the children to believe one thing or another. By saying “intelligent design” they are not SPECIFICALLY linking it to god, but could be most definitely interpreted that way. The teachers could be talking about any form of specific creation- that created this earth. This use of the word is too close too close to “god” for those families, and I can understand why. In this case for evolution though, it is in a way teaching the children that god created earth. And like it is printed in a strict document- the study of religion and god can be used- as long as it is not forced upon the children to believe. Teaching this is school could make the children believe that god DID create the earth- this could be teaching not learning about religion in schools, which is forbidden to the public school. Since we do not know who and exactly HOW the earth was created, this is an interpretation of the teacher and/ or the suppliers of facts. Which would be teaching the children someone’s beliefs. Which the law and the certified national public school guidelines prohibit.

The teachings of intelligent design in public school systems should not be declared unconstitutional. It does in any way violate the First Amendment Religion Clause which states that religious beliefs and expressions are too precious to be prescribed and proscribed (meaning that they are too valuable to be prohibited or excluded from people’s lives). Intelligent design in school is perfectly respectful of the separation of church and state. Therefore, it should not be banned.

We the Supreme Court have previously stated that the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution prohibits “the preference of one religion over another or the support of a religious idea with no identifiable secular purpose”. The Establishment Clause was intended to prohibit the Federal government from declaring a national religion. While I am respectful of religious liberties and the right to freedom of religion and freedom of speech, under the Establishment Clause, students have the right to be free from religious endorsement in a public setting. Teaching the different religious theories by presenting all scientific evidence is important for education, but the intent of the Creationism Act a.k.a “intelligent design” was to encourage a specific religious text and beliefs and this is a violation of the Establishment Clause. By placing the Judeo-Christian creationism theory into the science curriculum, this implies that this interpretation is more legitimate than other religious theories; all religions must be on a level playing field so as not to violate our Constitution. The school does not have an educational purpose for putting the “intelligent design” theory in the science curriculum. Since the teaching of “intelligent design” by the Cobb County schools would be seen as the school or school board’s support of a particular religion, the Cobb County school district should not be able to include “intelligent design” in their science curriculum.

The amendments lay out the structure, powers, and limitations of our government. And by failing to abide them, we are failing to abide by the thoughts and efforts put into forming our country by our founding fathers. The Cobb county schools should not allow teaching according to ones beliefs about what they think about the different possibilities of evolution. There is no better gift a society can give children than the opportunity to grow up safe and free‚at the chance to pursue whatever dreams they may have. Our Constitution guarantees that freedom. Which includes that children are free to learn or practice what ever religion they, or their family wants and chooses to practice. The state, which includes the Cobb county school area, should not teach children differently and teach them anything that goes against their beliefs. The constitution ensures that no one in government has too much power; the Constitution helps protect ordinary Americans every day against abuse of power by those in authority. All people were created equal and created to believe what they choose to believe, and follow what they want. They shouldn’t fail to do that simply because a higher power has come to teach their kids one thing, no matter how much it affects their religion. This also includes the factor of separation of church and state. Involving religion in public schools is clearly an act of the government, for they control public schools.

Ruling In Favor Of: The Plaintiff Blounder/Richardson Families

Proved by: 1st, 10th and 14th, amendment.

It is unconstitutional for state schools to teach intelligent design because it contradicts the federal government, undermines and deprives the liberty of not having the state determine or promote a sect of religion. 14th amendment “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United State” as citizens of the United States the Blounder/Richardson Families as American citizens they may not be deprived of liberty and justice. The liberty of the Blounder/Richardson Families not have the state determine or promote ones religion in a state activity/right such as public school.
First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” Allowing the Cobb County School Board to teach a theory that supports and follows the standards of Christian religion is unconstitutional because it demotes and enact the power if the constitutional provisions for your belief (i.e. separation f church and sate.). The states have the power to make laws when the Federal Government is not responsible, but the laws and privileges we enact support another religion we will be contradicting the Federal Government, which was proved unconstitutional. Following the Federal Government and proper standards it is unconstitutional to teach “Intelligent Design” in schools because it support primary Christian beliefs.

The ruling of the supreme court case Blounder/ Richardson families vs. The Cobb county school board will be in favor of the Plaintiff. The first amendment gives a prohibition that ” Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” and a guarantee that the government ” shall not prohibit the freedom of religion.” That said, the Cobb county school board is making a violation of an American’s right to practice religion, but more specifically, a parent’s right to teach their children, and form their characters as they wish.

The Blounder and Richardson families have the right to teach their children religion as they please, and the Cobb county school board is directly interfearing with this practice. Because they are pertaining to public schools, the Blounder and Richardson families cannot choose which school they can attend, making it neccesary for the Cob county school board to comply with their rights to freedom. They cannot teach intelligent design because it personifies a specific religion over the others, and could teach a child the way their parents do not want them to be taught. That is a violation of the parent’s rights, making the teaching of intelligent design unlawful, and thus making the Cobb county school board liable to be found guilty of the charges pressed by the Blounder and Richardson families.

Public schools are run by the government. In The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment it says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” It continues later to say, “…Or prohibiting thefree exercise thereof”.
Since public schools are run by the government and the government is not allowed to abridge the establishment of religion, the taught course of “Intelligent design can continue to be taught.
I rule in favor of the Cobb County School Board.

This is not a case about the teaching of religion in school as much as a case about who decides the curriculum for the school. Under the State Law of Georgia, the Cobb County school board is charged with defining the curriculum for the education of public school students. Voters of the county elect the school board members to represent their interests and to carry out their duties as elected school board members. If plaintiffs disagree with the way the school system is run or the curriculum is put together, the school system provides other alternatives. They can choose to have their children removed from the intelligent design class, they can move to another district or better still, elect school board members who will better represent their interests. If the Court sides with plaintiff, we are saying that there is essentially no reason for a school board or the system of elected officials to carry out their responsibilities. I cannot see any violation of State or Federal law in this case and therefore I am ruling in favor of the Defendant.

I rule in favor of the Cobb County School Board. The school board has done what it is doing for many years they are experienced and have been put in charge by the people of Cobb County. They are highly experienced and has the freedom and liberty to choose the paticularities of their curriculum. The people voted the Schoolboard in, and these people that the citizens chose, hired good teachers. If these elected Board Members disagreed with their teachers teachings they would fire them.

The Cobb county schools have every right to teach intelligent design, and could even use God as an example of the higher power that created the earth and people. The court should not try and strip God from American society or schools. Americans are religious and God has always been part of our country’s history. God is referred to on everything from our money to the Pledge of Allegiance. The Constitution, in particular the First Amendment, does not say anything about a required “separation of church and state.” We should follow the Constitution as it was written and there is nothing in the Bill of Rights our founding fathers gave us that says that government should forbid religious thought.

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

The Supreme Court will consider today whether a Georgia public school district can continue to include “intelligent design” in their science curriculum.

The Cobb Country School Board has supported the desire of schools in this conservative county to teach the concept of “intelligent design,” which holds that living organisms are so complex that they must have been created by some kind of higher force.

The Blounder and Richardson families, who have children currently enrolled in a Cobb County School, claim that the concept is merely creationism with a different name, saying the “higher power” described in the curriculum is God in disguise. “‘Intelligent design,’ they say, “is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory.”

Tucker Sigler, representing the school board, argues that “the county’s schools and their highly experienced faculty has the freedom to choose the particularities of their curriculum.” All Cobb County schools currently teach “intelligent design” alongside the more scientific theories of evolution.

PLAINTIFF: Blounder/Richardson families

DEFENDANT: Cobb County School Board