For many decades, the discussion of schools teaching evolution, instead of creation, has been an issue. Are we closer to a decision on this subject? At times it does not seem so.

The parents and the home should be the main source of the teaching of values. Schools should teach the formal academic subjects. The way a child is brought up, those morals and ethics he his taught as a child will definitely form the person he becomes. Shouldn't the parents be the ones to decide this issue?

Those of us with Christian beliefs want the bible to be the textbook when it comes to many subjects. We look upon the story of the creativity as explained in Genesis as the true meaning of how we all came to be. Others swear by the scientific version of Evolution. Although my feelings on the subject are extremely strong, we will not discuss the issue in that way.

I would like the rights of parents to be respected when it comes to what our children are being taught. If the school undermines all that the parents deem important by the one-sided teaching of such an important concept, our kids will no longer respect their parent's viewpoints. Childhood is not the time for them to experience this complete disregard for what the parent believes. They will have many opportunities as they gain maturity to question and search out answers for themselves.

When a child lives at home, it is impossible to keep them obeying the parent when the teacher presents ideas completely opposite what the kids are taught at home. It is vital for the parent to have some say as to which subjects and in what manner they might be taught. This is not an unreasonable request and I realize the curriculum may not be tailored to each household's individual demands. But some sort of compromise must be reached. Whether separate classes for different theories or teaching both sides of an issue is the answer is another extensive debate.

A family who does not believe in abortion as an option for unwanted pregnancies should not have their children taught about a method that they consider murder. The whole gamut of views on a whole series of issues seems to make this an impossible task to please all parents. For the most part, there are two distinct views, the Christian view and the view of those who do not believe in biblical teachings. So we may be looking at two classes, but of course that is not allowed due to the same reasons that prayer has been removed form the classroom. I believe it is time to revisit this topic of church verses state. That is a huge issue and can only be addressed after much research and soul-searching. It seems that the reasons it was first initiated no longer exist, at least in that form. The new millennium may make it necessary for us to rethink and re-look at laws and concepts from times that do not reflect our own. We must take our country into the 21st century with appropriate solutions to old problems, which have metamorphosed into something, totally unlike what those laws were intended to serve.

Credits: Jo Ann Wentzel