GasPasser

The First Amendment and its Establishment and Free Exercise clause pertaining to religion, were created to prevent the meddling of the government in church affairs (Free Exercise Clause - i.e. Church of England) and to put an end to the floor debate over which Christian denomination should be established as the "Official" Church of the United States (Establishment Clause). It does not prohibit the mention of God or Religion in a Public Institution, or in school teaching...education and curriculum being a state matter and under the jurisdiction of a state's Supreme Court and that state's Constitution (Which can be more restrictive of public discussions of religion). As Lap said, there is no such thing as "Separation of Church and State," it was only a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson in a personal writing, which was later quoted in a Supreme Court decision.