Religious Expression in Public Schools: A true-false quiz

Do you know the rights and limits on student religious expression in public secondary schools?

Congress passed the Equal Access Act in 1984 to end discrimination against student religious groups in public secondary schools. In 1995 and in 1998, then U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, sent to every school superintendent guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools. The following questions are based on these documents.

Circle true or false.

  1. Students may not engage in group prayer and religious discussion during the school day.
    True or False

  2. A “limited open forum” is created whenever a public secondary school provides an opportunity for one or more noncurriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during noninstructional time.
    True or False

  3. Schools may not establish regulations for meetings that take place in its limited open forum.
    True or False

  4. Schools may not assign teachers to supervise a meeting of a religious club.
    True or False

  5. Schools may allow student clubs in which abortion, drinking age and alternative lifestyles are discussed.
    True or False

  6. If religious groups are allowed to meet on school premises under the Equal Access Act, then the school must allow cults and hate groups, such as the Skinheads and KKK to meet.
    True or False

  7. Students may display religious messages on items of clothing.
    True or False

  8. School officials, including class sponsors, may not organize religious baccalaureate ceremonies.
    True or False

  9. Students may read the Bible or other scriptures during the school day.
    True or False

  10. A student may say a prayer before his meal in the school’s cafeteria, but a group of students may not. This could be considered coercion or intimidation.
    True or False

Answers to Religious Expression in Public Schools: A true-false quiz.


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