Who gets to decide what students learn?

Last Updated 5/20/2026


Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson has introduced legislation to allow public schools to deny enrollment to undocumented children, setting up a challenge of the 1982 Supreme Court decision in Plyler vs Doe.  

Who should decide who our students are and what they should learn? Who should be running our schools? Politicians, teachers or parents?

That’s a question the nation is debating today, and that question was one of the core arguments debated during the 1925 Scopes Trial.

Visit the Scopes Trial Play & Festivities July 11-19, at the Rhea County Courthouse to see where this debate started 100 years ago. For more information and tickets, check out scopes100.com.


Scopes Trial Festival concludes with successful matineé ... The final day of the Scopes Trial Play & Festival was a success. About 140 people showed up for Dinner with the Cast held at Dayton City...
Scopes Trial Festival concludes with successful matineé ... The final day of the Scopes Trial Play & Festival was a success. About 70 people showed up for Dinner with the Cast held at Dayton City ...
Let’s all go to the Scopes Trial Play!Just two performances left this year of the Scopes Trial Play, "Destiny in Dayton." Last weekend's performances were well attended, and ...
Rhea County Heritage DaysThe Rhea Heritage Preservation Foundation offered a variety of activities, demonstrations and entertainments in connection with the Scop...

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