CHARLESTON, WV  – West Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 152 that requires public schools to display “In God We Trust” and another bill allowing teachers to openly discuss other theories on how the world was created, other than evolution.

Debates regarding these two bills has been passionate from both supporters and critics. Critics say that both of these bills violate the separation of church and state, while supports claim that is just not true.

In support of these bills, State Senator and Education Committee Chair Amy Grady (R-Mason) said ““You can’t stand here and say – and we’ll just say intelligent design is a theory, and it is – You can’t just stand here and say that is something we couldn’t look up right now that says scientists do not support, because there are scientists who do support that theory.”

In opposition, State Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell) said ““It’s puzzling to me what the bill is really trying to do. and I expect that if it’s challenged, it’s so vague that it will be declared unconstitutional for vagueness. I think that probably runs afoul of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. And I’m going to be a ‘no’ vote on that. I’m going to explain the reason for that ‘no’ vote on the floor.”

While the two school-related bills are headed to the Capital to the House of Delegates, various groups are planning to challenge these bills in court, even if the House passes them and the governor signs them into law.

“The West Virginia Senate easily passed bills Tuesday requiring schools to display “In God We Trust” in every classroom and further allowing the discussion of intelligent design in public schools.”

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