The foundation of religious freedom in the United States has always been a strongly debated one.

The separation of church and state sounds like a simple enough concept, but no matter what the personal religious beliefs in question, people on both side of the issue feel themselves to be threatened. Whether people want to be able to hold prayer meetings or keep religion as far from school grounds as possible, no one seems to be satisfied.

This week the Supreme court ruled on two cases concerning religion in the schools and both decisions went some way to preserving religious freedom for the vast majority of citizens.

One case involved student-led stadium prayer before sporting events in a Texas school district. The Court maintained that prayer in school must remain private.

While this may seem like the private business of citizens to simply determine how they will conduct their business based on community standards, communities in the United States are never as monolithic and unified as prayer proponents like to argue.

Even if a community is virtually all Christian, not all Christians belong to the same denomination or believe in the same fashion. Praying for victory is in itself somewhat controversial especially when the conflict involves a game of hoops.

Factor in all other religious beliefs and one groups right to practice their religion begins to violate another groups right to not have that religion forced upon them.

Another case involved a Louisiana school district that required teachers to add a disclaimer to any instruction on evolution. Teachers were required to inform students of the Biblical theory of creation when teaching evolution. This was struck down as well.

Even Charles Darwin believed in God. It was never even his intention to make people turn away from God. Many people have no problem wedding the theory of evolution with their belief in a higher power. Those that do find that it only adds to the beauty of the divine plan.

Frankly, requiring anyone to inform students of the Adam and Eve, Garden of Eden theory of creation is ludicrous. Adam and Eve are more widely known than Superman and Elvis combined. The theory of evolution stands on its own merits as science and to undermine that lesson with any particular religious view to the contrary is tantamount to malfeasance.

Our Founding Fathers sought to protect the rights of all Americans to practice the religion of their choice by separating church and state. We should all respect even if it just to protect ourselves from the day we may not be the majority making the rules.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Kate Kompas,Greg Jerrett, Heidi Jolivette, Justin Kendall and Tara Payne.