Religious law and school prayer

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Religion and prayer in U.S.
public schools, libraries, etc.

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Quotations:

	"Americans are being denied the right to express their religious speech in the public square." Ralph Reed, Christian Coalition.
	"Public schools can neither foster religion nor preclude it. Our public schools must treat religion with fairness and respect and vigorously protect religious expression as well as the freedom of conscience of all other students. In so doing our public schools reaffirm the First Amendment and enrich the lives of their students". Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley June 1998
	"A Congress that allows God to be banned from our schools while our schools can teach about cults, Hitler and even devil worship is wrong, out of touch, and needs some common sense." Rep. James Traficant, (D-OH) 1999-APR-27.
	"There is no such source and cause of strife, quarrel, fights, malignant opposition, persecution, and war, and all evil in the state, as religion. Let it once enter our civil affairs, our government would soon be destroyed. Let it once enter our common schools, they would be destroyed." Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Weiss v. District Board, 1890-MAR-18.
	"A union of government and religion tends to destroy government and degrade religion." Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, Engel v. Vitale, (1962)
	"School sponsorship of a religious message is impermissible because it sends the ancillary message to members of the audience who are nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community. " U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Santa Fe v. Doe, (2000).

Topics covered:

	Introduction: Overview, The Constitution, landmark court decisions, etc.
	About prayer in public schools: The court case that ended state-sponsored prayer Quotations from religious and political leaders Praying in the classroom  -- legally Moment of silence Position of U.S. political parties on school prayer Popular misconceptions about school prayer Accommodating prayers by Muslims
	About prayer at municipal government meetings
	Teaching religion: Teaching religion vs. teaching about religion
	Prayer at special events: Sports events Graduation ceremonies Court decisions and public reactions on graduation prayers At the flagpole - See You at the Pole events
	Student free speech guarantees: Students' religious jewelry and clothing Equal Access Act regarding student clubs
	Events reported in the media: 1995 to 1997 inclusive 2000 to 2002 2003 to now
	Other matters: Renting school & library facilities to community groups What the Bible says about public prayer Separation of church and state issues The Pledge of Allegiance prayer

Sources of additional information:

	The U.S. Department of Education guidelines for religion in the public schools at: http://www.ed.gov/
	The National Congress of Parents and Teachers and Freedom Forum's "A parent's guide to religion in the public schools," at: http://www.freedomforum.org/ You need software to read these files. It can be obtained free from:
	Freedom Forum's "A teacher's guide to religion in the public schools," at: http://www.freedomforum.org/newsstand/reports/ * **
	National Bible Association and the First Amendment Center's "The Bible & Public Schools," at: http://www.freedomforum.org/ This also requires Acrobat software.
	Anti-Defamation League (ADL)'s "Religion in the Public Schools" at: http://www.adl.org/religion_ps/default.asp

References:

1. Religion Today news summary, 1999-MAR-19.
2. ACLU Newsfeed, 1999-NOV-5.
3. Rutherford Institute has a web page at: http://www.rutherford.org/  
4. Natural Prayer Project is available at:

   	Email: naturalprayer@earthlink.net
   	Website: http://www.naturalprayer.com
   	Phone: 1-800-209-9929 (US only)
   	Fax: (619) 573-0752

5. Dave Clark, "Dallas schools attempt church ouster," at: http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/A0013582.html 

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Copyright 1995 to 2006 by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Created 1995-APR-27
Last updated 2006-OCT-11
Author: B.A. Robinson

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