Ep 21. The Monkey Suit

In "The Monkey Suit," the 21st episode of the 17th season of The Simpsons, Lisa runs for class president against Ralph Wiggum, whose father is a fundamentalist Christian preacher. When the Wiggums try to have evolution removed from the school's science curriculum, Lisa becomes passionate about defending the theory and the separation of church and state.

As Lisa prepares for the election, she learns that her science teacher, Mrs. Krabappel, has been secretly teaching creationism in the classroom. Lisa confronts Mrs. Krabappel, who admits that she feels pressure to teach both sides of the issue equally in order to avoid controversy. Lisa is outraged that her teacher would compromise scientific fact for the sake of appeasing fundamentalist beliefs.

Meanwhile, Marge discovers that Ned Flanders has a second job as a teacher at a Christian school, where he teaches creationism as fact. Marge confronts Ned about his beliefs, but he defends his stance by saying that it's just his personal opinion and that he wants to teach children how to think, not what to think.

As Lisa's campaign heats up, she becomes the target of the Wiggums' smear campaign. They spread rumors about her being a communist, an atheist, and even accuse her of having a crush on Ralph. Lisa tries to stay focused on the issues, but the pressure begins to take its toll.

Just when it seems like things couldn't get any worse, Springfield's beloved science museum is set to close down due to lack of funding. Lisa sees this as an opportunity to rally support for science education and organizes a protest at the museum. With the help of her family, friends, and fellow scientists, Lisa makes a passionate plea for the importance of objective science education in schools.

In the end, Lisa wins the election by a landslide and the science museum is saved. However, the Wiggums refuse to accept defeat and try to get Lisa impeached from office. Lisa once again finds herself defending the principles of science and the separation of church and state, but this time, she has the support of her classmates and the entire town behind her.

"The Monkey Suit" tackles some heavy issues, including the clash between religion and science, the right to teach what you believe, and the importance of standing up for what you believe in. Despite the serious subject matter, the episode maintains its trademark humor and heart, making it a memorable addition to the series.