Running head: WRITING ASSIGNMENT 4

Ivy Tech Community College

Abstract
The separation between the church and state has been an immense issue throughout the years and will continue to be an issue. There are many different groups that oppose the idea of keeping the church and state separate, but America is a very diverse country filled with people of different races and who have many different religions and beliefs. I believe that by keeping the church and state separate when dealing with education is beneficial.

Writing Assignment 4
The separation of church and state, is the concept to keep religions out of government. It was made to keep the government neutral and so no national religion would ever be established. Over the years is has been a very heated issue. As this issue grows, America grows in population, our nation is the only country where people from many different backgrounds and cultures come together, and with them come all their different religions.
History
Our nation was started because people craved freedom of religion. Many Pilgrims fled from Great Britain to acquire freedom of religion, because at that time Great Britain had a national religion. It was so important to them to have religious freedom that they gave up all they had. They gave up the security of staying in Great Britain and they travelled to the unknown. Many of them died in the first year they were here. They made a sacrifice to better the lives of their children and everyone else who came after them.
First Amendment of the Constitution
Separation of the church and state was never specifically stated in the constitution; however, the first amendment does state that it prohibits making any laws against a religion or that hinders the exercise of free religion. The first amendment was written for the sole purpose that the Pilgrims did not want what happened in Great Britain to happen in their new country. They did not want a national religion to arise and make their sacrifice in vain.
Understanding the Issue of Separation of the Church and State
The first amendment is the main cause of conflict when it comes to this issue. The government must protect the freedom of religion, but it also cannot make it seem like one religion is more important than the other. In 1962, the case of Engle v. Vitale was brought to the Supreme Court. At that time, in New York public schools would require students say the Pledge of Allegiance and pray at the beginning of the school every day. A parent sued them stating that it was against the First Amendment of the constitution for the schools to sponsor or require prayer. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parent.
At the start of our country it is true that the Pilgrims started this country because they wanted religious freedom, but they all were mostly Christians. They modeled the government by some Christian beliefs. God is mentioned in many of our country’s old documents and president speeches. God is mentioned in our Pledge of Allegiance, in our Declaration of Independence and our National Anthem. That is why many Christians are against the separation. They feel as though we should not stray from what this country was built and forged on.
However, our nation is not the same anymore. America is no longer just the pilgrims, it is a heavily populated country with many people that have come from many different countries, and they too demand freedom of religion. Which is their right to. Our nation has evolved and will continue to evolve; Society has also changed its no longer what it once was. Which means we need to implement changes in America.
Applying Sociology to this Issue
Emile Durkheim introduced the concept that religion is about the separation of the sacred and profane. The term sacred refers to the representations that do not have to do with normal everyday life. While, profane refers to everything else that does have to do with our everyday life. The purpose of religion is to keep those two things separate.
People who do not support the separation of church and state often refer to Emile’s concept stating the Supreme Court’s rulings have been too strict and that prayer will not lead to America establishing a national religion.
The Issue at Ball State University Ball State University received complaints from the Freedom from Religion Foundation group about one of their science professors teaching Intelligent Design, which is considered a religious theory, in a science class. The theory of intelligent design is the theory that an intelligent being had to have created life. Those who believe in the Intelligent Design theory say that life is too complicated to not have been created by an intelligent being.
Although creationism is not the same as the theory of Intelligent Design and has really no connections to a religion, in 2005 in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dove Area School District, the judge decided the theory was a religious belief, and therefore dismissed the idea of requiring teachers to present the theory of Intelligent Design to the students.
The Ball State University science professor was indeed violating the separation between church and state. The Intelligent Design theory is not viewed as a science and therefore should not have been presented to the students as such. As stated by the judge in the 2005 case, the Intelligent Design theory was considered a religious belief.
Conclusion
The Separation between the church and state is a necessary in America. There are too many religions throughout our country and they all need to be given the right to practice their religions. Schools cannot require students to pray because not all students’ religions agree with prayer and some are atheists. Our country cannot pressure anyone to do something that goes against the person’s religion that would be going against the first amendment and also against why our country was started in the first place. No matter what religion someone practices they deserve freedom to practice it.

References
Flaherty, Colleen (2013). The Stand for Science. Washington D.C.: Higher Ed.
Jaschik, Scott (2013). Science or Religion?. Washington D.C.: Higher Ed.
Schaefer, Richard (2011). Sociology. New York, NY.: McGraw Hill Co.