1.Freedom+of+Religion

I. Freedom of Religion issues: · Pledge of Allegiance (Newdow case) // Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow //

This was a lawsuit ruling that the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance are advocating religion, so it violates the Establishment Clause of the 1st amendment of the US Constitution. Mr. Newdow, a parent, sued for his daughter, who attended the Elk Grove public school. They found the Pledge fully constitutional and refrained from starting the case. The case never went through because Mr. Newdow did not have a legal standing over his daughter, so he could not spark the case through his name. His ex-wife had custody over his daughter, so only she could spark the case under her name. Mr. Newdow appealed later on. (basic idea to why it was constitutional, even though there was no case:) They proclaimed that the insertion of “under God” was to promote a Supreme Being and advance religion at a time (1950s) when the government was going against atheistic communism and to this day merely seems to resemble the freedom and just laws America has.

· Ten Commandments (McCreary County, Kentucky vs. ACLU of Kentucky)

The ACLU sued three Kentucky counties for displaying framed copies of the Ten Commandments in courthouses and public schools. This display of religious symbolism, the ACLU argued, violates the First Amendment establishment clause. In a 5-4 opinion, the Court ruled that the First Amendment was indeed violated because their purpose had been to advance religion, more specifically religious values of a certain religion. The impact of this case on freedom of religion is that it ensures that religious documents are not publicly displayed or promoted (which would promote a specific religion) in public locations, where all religions should be accepted.

· Evolution vs Creationism/Intelligent Design (Kitzmiller vs Dover Area School District)

The case Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District had a very profound effect on freedom of religion in public schools. Intelligent design is the idea that a higher being had to have created us because each being is so unique and finely shaped individually. Creationism, however, is the idea that a higher being created life and that evolution is false. The case was that a school district mandated that intelligent design be taught in place of the theory of evolution. What this did was; essentially, prohibit public schools from teaching intelligent design in schools because it was ruled that this was a form of creationism. This being said, creationism being taught in public schools if a clear violation of freedom of religion as it favored one religious belief over those of religions or nonreligious peoples that disagree with the idea of creationism.