, Louisiana, USA
1987 - June 19 - The Supreme Court strikes down the Louisiana law that requires that schools teach creationism.
On June 19, 1987, a significant ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Louisiana law that mandated the teaching of creationism alongside evolution in public schools. The law, known as the "Louisiana Balanced Treatment Act," required that if evolution was taught, then creationism must also be taught as a scientific alternative. This decision was a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over the separation of church and state in education.
The Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Edwards v. Aguillard was based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or favoring one religion over another. The Court held that the Louisiana law violated this clause by promoting a particular religious belief (creationism) in public school science classes. This decision reaffirmed the principle that public schools should teach scientific theories supported by empirical evidence, rather than religious beliefs, in their science curriculum.
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