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The origin of life is a valid, thriving scientific field of research just like any other scientific field, and it is entirely valid to discuss it in a public science class. In fact it would be disgraceful not to include the subject in a biology class. Whether or not you include it under the aegis of "evolution" is really beside the point.
As far as the origin of life is concerned, consider the fact that scientists have been able to create life in the lab for several years now. Viruses are now routinely synthesized and used as vectors in gene transfers, on a daily basis. So you could say that through scientific progress, we now know how to create life from nonlife, and it is quite easy if you know how.
There of course is still a lot of controversy about the precise chemical pathways through which this spontaneously happened in the early history of the earth, but it is beyond any doubt that it can happen, in fact very easily under the right circumstances.
ID, on the other hand, is not science. It is completely outside the realm of science, and is completely inappropriate to include in a science class. It has contributed absolutely nothing to scientific knowledge. It is simply a surrogate for creationism.
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