Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is enjoying a surge in popularity and support, is apparently not enjoying the continued questions about his faith—and this time, he was asked about teaching creationism in schools.

According to an Associated Press story, he “bristled” when asked whether the theory of creationism, or intelligent design, should be taught in public schools alongside evolution. He proclaimed the question “irrelevant.” Huckabee, a Republican, said: “I’m happy to answer what I believe, but what I believe is not what’s going to be taught in 50 different states.”

What he believes, by the way, according to the AP story, is that the theory of intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution as part of a broad curriculum.

While Huckabee is right—that the 50 states aren’t necessarily going to follow his views on what should be taught in public schools—questions about his beliefs on evolution aren’t that irrelevant. As we’ve seen with Reading First, which my colleague Kathleen Kennedy Manzo has documented, a president’s administration can clearly have an impact on how subjects are taught.