Congratulations! We did it!

The arrival of 2012 heralded more assaults on the First Amendment, specifically an attempt by Indiana lawmakers to allow public schools to teach creationism. The ACLU of Indiana spoke out against this unconstitutional move (view news release).

Our supporters wrote their legislators. You called, emailed, tweeted and posted your thoughts on our Facebook page. And because of these actions and a groundswell of opposition, House Speaker Brian Bosma used a procedural move to kill the bill.

The topic of religion in the public square is gaining traction, not just in Indiana, but across the country, as candidates for public office make obliterating the separation of church and state a central theme of their campaigns. The ACLU of Indiana was able to help facilitate victory and the public outcry on the creationism bill, but in that process we heard from some supporters and others who are confused about where the ACLU stands on the issue of religion in the public square. Click here to learn more about religion in the public square.

Background
On January 31, 2012 the Indiana Senate passed a bill that would allow our public schools to teach creationism.

According to ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk, such a move would be blatantly unconstitutional, and would likely result in court battles that would waste taxpayer money and do nothing to advance the real educational needs of Hoosier students. Click here for the full statement.

Does this mean schools can’t teach about religion? Of course not. It’s important to understand the role religion has played in history, art, literature, society and other secular subjects. And schools may teach about religion in these contexts as long as the teaching takes place in an objective, unbiased manner, and does not criticize any particular religion or set of beliefs. In our public schools, where equal education is guaranteed and open to all by the Indiana Constitution, curriculum must always serve a secular educational purpose.