The separation of church and state is taken for granted to such an extent in the United States that nobody bothers to check if it is in fact true. Only recently have several instances started to emerge where this constitutional provision has proven to be violated.  For example, the display of Jesus’ picture inside the premises of a school in Texas recently prompted a debate about whether or not religious teachings should be carried out in educational institutions.

For decades, Royster Middle School allowed a picture of Christ to be displayed in its hall but now the secular group Freedom From Religion Foundation has compelled the school to have it removed.

Naturally, the issue raised questions about how deep-seated religious teachings happen to be in the American schooling system, especially those operating in the country’s southern states. Texas has, over the years, gained a sorry reputation for banning the teaching of evolution, as that particular notion predominantly opposes creationist views, which revolve around Christian teachings. So much so, that the state has gone on to even publish revised textbooks, which completely obliterate evolution from the history of humankind.

This concerns parents of children who pass through school without an inkling of evolution and with the knowledge that human beings came into existence only 10,000 years ago when the Earth was apparently created by divine powers. Parents in Texas have been expressing their worry about the overall quality of the next generation, since state schools continue to contribute to their children’s half-baked knowledge.

The issue of censoring evolution has gained momentum only recently. While those belonging to the Christian faith have been rooting in favor of censoring such information, others want to ensure that children are introduced to the concept of evolution at the school level itself.

Photo Credits: NBC News