Sholeh Patrick’s column on education and religion (July 23) was both interesting and informative. I was pleased that Sholeh correctly interpreted the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I agree that an important part of education is understanding spirituality and religion.

Sholeh mentioned that student-led religious groups are acceptable within the guidelines of the First Amendment. She said schools and employees are forbidden by law to teach religion or lead in prayer. (Sounds like an ACLU interpretation of the First Amendment). However, she did say it is acceptable to teach religion as a part of history or social studies.

While there are a number of positive things happening in regard to religion in the public schools there remains an imbalance and an unfairness in one important area. The humanist. The secularist, and the atheist are free to teach their religion in the classroom via the theory of evolution while the majority of public schools do not allow the teaching of Creation Science with its proven scientific support. Teachers are not even allowed to teach Creation as a theory. You would think since America was founded on Christian principles schools would be required to teach these principles as part of history.

Our Founders referred to the Supreme Judge of the universe and to the laws of nature and to nature’s God in The Declaration of Independence. The following words were also written in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these TRUTHS to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their CREATOR with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Thanks Sholeh for your thought-provoking article.

RON VIESELMEYER

Coeur d’Alene