Scopes Trial Centennial Marks Ongoing Education Battles

The 100th anniversary of the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' draws attention to the continued conflict over the role of religion and science in American public schools. The 1925 trial saw teacher John Scopes convicted for teaching evolution in defiance of Tennessee law, a conviction later overturned on a technicality, though the law itself remained for years. Scopes suffered lasting professional repercussions from the trial. Today, similar cultural divides persist, with new laws requiring classroom displays of the Ten Commandments and Supreme Court decisions allowing religious parents to opt out of certain school materials. Media representations like 'Inherit the Wind' have influenced public perceptions of the trial, often framing it as a fight for intellectual freedom. The Scopes trial endures as a symbol of ongoing debates over curriculum, religious values, and educational standards in the U.S.