Yes, there were public school systems before the Bill of Rights. I have
seen some historic documents that authorized taxation for free public
schools for those who could not afford private schools. In the same
source document that I obtained the previous quotation, Jefferson also
discussed a plan for organizing the school system in Virginia, and that
was also before the Bill of Rights..
>>The lengthy article that was attached, but that I've snipped, doesn't really
shed any light upon what Jefferson would think about bringing the
debate into the public schools.<<
Ah, but it does. Usually Jefferson is invoked in debates regarding the
separation of church and state. The separation of church and state is
invoked in the debate about whether creationism should be taught in
public schools. Jefferson discouraged coercion of religious views, but
encouraged debate and free expression of them. Although Jefferson's
writing was lengthy, I believe that he made this very valid point.
Today's interpretation of Jefferson's views usually acknowledges the
first but ignores the second. As a result, free debate on anything that
smacks of religion in schools is left wanting.
The founding fathers and evolution both crept into this string before I
commented. You then invoked Jefferson. I only wanted to express a word
of caution. I believe that you are interpreting Jefferson a little too
narrowly (as often occurs) and the document that I posted is one of
many that I have seen that lead me to believe that Jefferson's concept
of church-state separation is a bit different than what is commonly
thought today.
>> Who would be doing the discussing about creation vs. evolution in the
public schools? What is meant by "creation"? How do we make the jump
from being endowed by our Creator with rights to allowing school
children to discuss the merits of creation and evolution?<<
I know of no reason why the foundational basis of a creator found in
the Declaration of Independence should not be...
A. taught and discussed in public school history classes, and
B. Involve the discussion of a creator and what that means to the
students in terms of freedom
Does the ACLU object to the teaching of Jefferson and the other
founding father's insistence on a creator who endows us with liberties?
I doubt it. After all, the idea of natural rights derived from God is a
fundamental axiom in American civil liberty.
The jump is easy because the schools are usually teaching the absence
of a creator down the hall in science class. :-)
Is this not an irony?
Paul Durham