Straight White American Jesus The Modern Day Scopes Trial
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Sep 1, 2025 Dan Mach, Director of the ACLU’s Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, dives deep into the legacy of the Scopes Trial. He discusses its lasting impact on the tension between science and religion in education. The conversation highlights modern battles over teaching evolution and the complexities surrounding religious charter schools. Topics also include the recent move to establish a Catholic public school in Oklahoma and its implications for taxpayer funding. Mach emphasizes the importance of understanding these debates in today's cultural landscape.
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Scopes Was A Strategic Test Case
- The Scopes Trial tested a Tennessee law banning the teaching of evolution and became a national spectacle.
- The conviction was overturned on technical grounds and never reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Evolution Battles Persist In New Forms
- Modern echoes of Scopes appear in repeated efforts to insert religion into public school policy.
- Courts have long rejected teaching religious doctrine as science, but new tactics persist.
Religious Charters Challenge Public-School Rules
- Charter schools are public schools and must follow separation-of-church-and-state rules.
- Allowing a Catholic charter would divert taxpayer funds to a religious institution and permit faith-based admissions and hiring exceptions.
