Rights of Religious Persons in Public Education

Publisher Description

A high school junior in California was forbidden to pass out religious tracts on school property. School officials attempted to stop a Wisconsin third-grader from displaying her valentines that said, " I love Jesus." Cases like these are occurring in public schools across the nation. The public school system has become a battleground over the legal rights of religious people. Many teachers and administrators are misinformed about these issues. For example, many believe that the Constitution forbids even the mention of the Christian religion. Precisely what rights do students, teachers, and administrators have to express their religious views at school? Do religious student and community groups have the right of access to school facilities? Can students be excused from a course or parts of a course that offend their religious beliefs? Do parents have any rights in these matters? Is it unconstitutional to sing Christmas carols in the public schools? Drawing on his exhaustive knowledge of constitutional law, John Whitehead builds a compelling case for accommodating religious expression in public education. Parents, students, teachers, and administrators will find support here for resolving these issues and implementing appropriate policies. Attorneys will find useful principles for assisting in these matters. Whitehead gives a final warning that Americans would do well to heed. The American system, he states, was intended to operate on the principles of equality and free and open communication. If free communication, religious or otherwise, is stifled, the system suffers and, along with it, the cause of freedom for all.