The Butler Act
The Butler Act in essence banned the teaching of evolution in all Tennessee Public Schools. The act was created in order to stop the people who believed in creationism from acting irrational because of all the new evidence that praised evolution (Liensche pg. 23).
University of Tennessee
On March 13, 1925, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Butler Act, a law which stated, in part:
Public Acts of the State of Tennessee passed by the Sixty-Fourth General Assembly: CHAPTER NO. 27
House Bill No. 185
(By Mr. Butler)
"AN ACT prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof."
Section 1. "Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals."
Section 2. "Be it further enacted, That any teacher found guilty of the violation of this Act, Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, shall be fined not less than One Hundred (100.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($ 500.00) Dollars for each offense."
Section 3. "Be it further enacted, That this Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it."
Public Acts of the State of Tennessee passed by the Sixty-Fourth General Assembly: CHAPTER NO. 27
House Bill No. 185
(By Mr. Butler)
"AN ACT prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof."
Section 1. "Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals."
Section 2. "Be it further enacted, That any teacher found guilty of the violation of this Act, Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction, shall be fined not less than One Hundred (100.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($ 500.00) Dollars for each offense."
Section 3. "Be it further enacted, That this Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it."