Angela >>>>>>
Professor Lum
American Constitution
April 4 2008
Religion in Education
Religion in Education
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
“Nothing in the First Amendment converts our public schools into religion-free zones, or requires all religious expression to be left behind at the schoolhouse door. While the government may not use schools to coerce the consciences of our students, or to convey official endorsement of religion, the public schools also may not discriminate against private religious expression during the school day.
Religion is too important in our history and our heritage for us to keep it out of our schools. It should not be demanded, but as long as it is not sponsored by school officials and does not interfere with other children's rights, it must not be denied.” President Clinton, July 12, 1995.
“As the President explained, the First Amendment imposes two basic and equally important obligations on public school officials in their dealings with religion. First, schools may not forbid students acting on their own from expressing their personal religious views or beliefs solely because they are of a religious nature. Schools may not discriminate against private religious expression by students, but must instead give students the same right to engage in religious activity and discussion as they have to engage in other comparable activity. Generally, this means that students may pray in a non-disruptive manner during the school day when they are not engaged in school activities and instruction, subject to the same rules of order as applies to other student speech.” (Letter to the Superintendent of Schools from Richard W. Riley U.S. Secretary of Education)
There has been a lot of controversy about practicing religion in public schools. It seems as though all of these arguments fall on the First Amendment and whether or not we...