President Jones Honored at Historic Scopes Trial Commemoration
![President Jones at Scopes Anniversary](/images/FFRF_5479_700.jpg")
Jones Joins national experts to reflect on the 100th anniversary of a landmark case that shaped American education and civil liberties
President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, joined legal scholars, historians and advocates at a national symposium marking the 100th anniversary of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial—one of the most pivotal courtroom battles over science, religion and education in U.S. history.
The event, held July 18–20 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was organized by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Center for Inquiry and featured panels as well as presentations that explored the enduring impact of State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, a 1925 legal case in which a young teacher was convicted for teaching evolution in violation of state law.
During the conference, President Jones was honored with the Defender of the Constitution Award for his historic 2005 ruling in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District—the first federal case to rule that intelligent design could not be taught as science in public schools. The award recognized his work in upholding the separation of church and state and protecting the integrity of science education.
“The Scopes trial set the stage for the modern conversation about church and state in the classroom,” says Jones. “My ruling in Kitzmiller stood on the shoulders of that legacy, and it’s vital that we continue to examine these cases not as historical curiosities but as living precedents that shape the rights of students and teachers today.”
The symposium drew speakers from across the country, including bestselling authors, constitutional law experts, journalists and experts in the fields of evolutionary biology and history.
As president of Dickinson, Jones has emphasized the importance of civil discourse, constitutional literacy and evidence-based reasoning—values rooted in both his judicial career and Dickinson’s liberal-arts mission.
“Dickinson prepares students to engage with complexity and challenge dogma,” Jones added. “That’s exactly what was at stake in Scopes, and it’s what continues to be at stake in classrooms and courtrooms across America.”
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Published August 19, 2025