Scopes v. State
Tennessee Supreme Court
289 S.W. 363 (1927)
- Written by Elliot Stern, JD
Facts
John Thomas Scopes (defendant) was a teacher in a public school in Tennessee (plaintiff). In the school, Scopes taught a theory that denied the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible and taught instead that man had descended from a lower order of animals. A jury found Scopes guilty for violating the Tennessee law that prohibited the teaching of the theory of evolution in public schools. Scopes appealed, arguing that the Tennessee law was in violation of the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution and the religious-preference clause of the Tennessee Constitution. In addition to the filings of the parties, the court received amici curiae and other communications from religious and scientific organizations expressing views on the theory of evolution.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Green, C.J.)
Dissent (McKinney, J.)
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