Charles+Haynes+columns

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Schools must give kids tools for informed debate on Iraq
By Charles Haynes Where else will students get the history, civic knowledge, civic virtues needed to seriously engage questions of war and peace?  03.02.03

Schools may pay the price if they ignore new guidelines on religion
By Charles Haynes Education Department guidelines say schools will lose federal funding if they unconstitutionally promote religion or unconstitutionally deny students' religious-liberty rights.  02.16.03

Students trying to form clubs have free speech, law on their side
By Charles Haynes School administrators in Colorado, Texas prove attacks on First Amendment can come from both ends of the ideological spectrum.  02.02.03

School's handling of memorial tiles adds sadness to Columbine tragedy
By Charles Haynes Legal fight ends as Supreme Court refuses to consider parents' appeal, chance to bring healing to wounded community also is lost.  01.19.03

Old church-state debates likely to continue in new year
By Charles Haynes Here are nominees for most significant, most underrated and most overblown religious-liberty stories of 2002 — plus an 'under the radar' story that bears watching.  01.05.03

First Amendment stands between Americans and religious chaos
By Charles Haynes What word of hope can be spoken in a world where even the birthplace of the 'Prince of Peace' has become a war zone?  12.22.02

Free speech is messy, but restricting it is messier
By Charles Haynes Just ask Cincinnati, where efforts to control holiday displays have turned into a legal quagmire.  12.08.02

Giving thanks for the first freedom
By Charles Haynes Without freedom of conscience and freedom of the mind, no free speech, press, assembly or petition is possible.  11.24.02

Posting religious codes is but first step for 'Ten Commandments movement'
By Charles Haynes Long-term aim of Alabama's chief justice, some TV evangelists is to restore the Christian America they believe has been lost.  11.10.02

'Teaching the controversy' over evolution could be disastrous
By Charles Haynes Without adequate teacher preparation, reasonable-sounding approach would actually be confusing, dangerous.  10.27.02

In climate of fear, people are being punished for speaking out
By Charles Haynes At the very moment in our history when we most need the 'marketplace of ideas' created by the First Amendment, far too many Americans seem eager to shut down the debate.  10.13.02

Houses of worship joining partisan political fray not a good idea
By Charles Haynes House bill to allow churches, synagogues, mosques to endorse candidates, contribute money to campaigns would entangle government with religion.  09.29.02

Despite some malice, most Americans respect Islam, religious diversity
By Charles Haynes U.S. history shows religious intolerance has lost ground over time; Americans followed President Bush's example in not condemning all Muslims for terror attacks.  09.15.02

Let's make Sept. 11 an annual Day of Freedom in our schools
By Charles Haynes It's time for America's schools to move from 'teaching in a time of terror' to 'teaching for a new birth of freedom.'  09.01.02

Watch out: War on terrorism should not mean war on Islam
By Charles Haynes War of words carried out by Franklin Graham, Bill O'Reilly and others risks further alienating Americans from world's 1.2 billion Muslims.  08.18.02

Feel-good interfaith events may paper over deep differences
By Charles Haynes But members of different religious traditions shouldn't resort to demonizing others, either, as we remember Sept. 11.  08.04.02

Religious-diversity lessons in schools can go too far
By Charles Haynes Having students act out religious rituals and practices puts public schools in the position of sponsoring religion.  07.21.02

Vouchers pass constitutional test, but are they good for America?
By Charles Haynes We need to decide what kind of educational system will enable our religiously diverse nation to live with our deepest differences.  07.07.02

Why Jehovah's Witnesses' victory is a win for all of us
By Charles Haynes However, Supreme Court frames proselytizing group's right to go door-to-door as free-speech issue, neglecting to mention free exercise of religion.  06.23.02

Teaching about religion in public schools takes preparation — but we can do it
By Charles Haynes Educators must avoid 'quick fixes' if they want to effectively answer students' questions that have arisen since Sept. 11.  06.09.02

Surge of anti-Semitism must not go unopposed
By Charles Haynes Attacks on Jews in U.S., around the world go beyond assaults on religious freedom — if ignored, they will eradicate the Jewish people.  05.26.02

Turning classrooms into laboratories of democracy
By Charles Haynes First Amendment Schools to apply lesson that rights, obligations of citizenship can’t be taught from a book — they must be lived and applied in daily life.  05.12.02

School prayer is already protected — no amendment needed
By Charles Haynes Grassroots campaign is under way to persuade your local government to endorse a confusing and misleading “school prayer” amendment.  04.28.02

Stop the fighting: Use 'creation-evolution' conflict as teaching tool
By Charles Haynes We’ll never get beyond the battling until we help students understand the range of views — religious and non-religious — about the claims of science.  04.14.02

Holy Week, holy terror: We must do more to promote religious liberty
By Charles Haynes Religious freedom works, but we can't take it for granted.  03.31.02

State-imposed faith won't make U.S. stronger
By Charles Haynes Keeping the government from promoting religion is actually good for religion.  03.17.02

High court's pending vote on vouchers won't be end of the story
By Charles Haynes If court watchers are right and Cleveland program is given green light, the nation faces a fierce debate that may well determine the future of public education.  03.03.02

Media spotlight misses Utah's home-grown success story
By Charles Haynes Look beyond the myths, find a state committed to promoting religious liberty in public schools.  02.17.02

Mistakes in teaching about religion don't mean schools are 'anti-Christian'
By Charles Haynes Instead of making this another culture-war battle, let’s work together to ensure that all teachers have the preparation they need to get it right.  02.03.02

Breaking the gridlock to serve nation's needy
By Charles Haynes Diverse group agrees: Let’s act now on what we can agree on — and avoid bitter fights, lawsuits.  01.20.02

Believers should remember 'soul liberty,' respect rights of non-believers
By Charles Haynes Americans with no religious preference feel increasingly isolated, defensive about the joining of 'God and country' in ceremonies from Yankee Stadium to the local school.  01.06.02

Looking behind the numbers
By Charles Haynes Post-Sept. 11 spike in number of Americans who think religion is gaining influence belies steady gains made over years.  12.23.01

How to handle religious holidays in public schools
By Charles Haynes Upholding the First Amendment is key to solving the yearly 'December dilemma.'  12.09.01

Giving thanks for fragile freedoms
By Charles Haynes Now that our freedoms are under attack, we’ve awakened to how much we have to lose.  11.25.01

Put God back in schools? He never left
By Charles Haynes Students already have right to religious expression; re-imposing state-sponsored prayers won't save America.  11.11.01

Recite pledge, but know meaning behind the words
By Charles Haynes Students need to learn that respecting the flag means respecting fundamental rights — including the right to dissent or opt out on grounds of conscience.  10.28.01

Citizenship isn't defined by religious affiliation
By Charles Haynes To uphold our commitment to First Amendment, we must do everything to guard the rights of all — even those with whom we deeply disagree.  10.14.01

America's schools must be summoned to defend freedom
By Charles Haynes While terrorists use tools of indoctrination, propaganda to teach blind obedience, our schools must use democratic principles to instill an abiding commitment to universal human rights.  09.30.01

With liberty and justice for all: the America we must protect
By Charles Haynes Defending the rights of all citizens is at the heart of what it means to be an American.  09.16.01

Recognizing students' rights makes for safer schools
By Charles Haynes Silencing students only breeds the very alienation and resentment that cause many of the problems in the first place.  09.02.01

America's landscape now a rich tapestry of diverse religions
By Charles Haynes Challenge is to sustain, expand this extraordinary experiment in religious freedom even as we grow more and more religiously different.  08.19.01

Child's death underscores need to protect religious rights of all
By Charles Haynes Constitution may guarantee religious liberty, but it can’t eliminate the ignorance and fear that feeds prejudice toward minority religions.  08.05.01

France's anti-cult law undermines religious-liberty rights
By Charles Haynes What’s a cult? The French seem to define it as any religious group the government doesn’t like — including Baptists, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists.  07.22.01

Helping the poor without harming their rights
By Charles Haynes People who raise constitutional concerns with faith-based initiatives want government to deliver social services without undermining religious freedom.  07.08.01

Zachary's case proves you can win despite losing
By Charles Haynes Supreme Court may have refused to hear appeal, but public opinion is on side of boy who wanted to read Bible story to first-grade classmates.  06.24.01

Supreme Court's decision good news for First Amendment
By Charles Haynes After years of litigation and conflict, Good News Club wins major victory in Supreme Court this week.  06.17.01

Loss of only network religion reporter a major setback
By Charles Haynes ABC News’ cutting Peggy Wehmeyer’s job goes against growing recognition among journalists that religious voices in public life are here to stay, impossible to ignore.  06.10.01

There's room for religion — and respect — in American public life
By Charles Haynes How deep is the distrust in Washington these days?  06.03.01

White House must build faith-based initiatives on common ground
By Charles Haynes Current congressional debates and public-opinion polls reveal that the more the people learn about the president's faith-based initiative, the more skeptical they are about it.  05.13.01

Public debate best way to handle controversial 'B.C.' comic
By Charles Haynes It’s not often that the funny pages spark a religious conflict.  04.29.01

Instilling moral character more effective than installing Internet filters
By Charles Haynes Students logging onto school computers after spring break may find a lot less traffic on the information highway.  04.15.01

First Amendment protects student 'God-talk' in public schools
By Charles Haynes What is it about student religious speech that causes some school officials to react with fear and trembling?  04.01.01

Ignorance, fear unfairly stigmatize American Muslims
By Charles Haynes The rapid growth of Islam in the United States in recent years has been accompanied by an escalation of hate and prejudice directed toward Muslims.  03.25.01

'First Amendment Schools' project links freedom with responsibility
By Charles Haynes The tragedy at Santana High School has sparked yet another national debate about how to ensure "safe schools."  03.18.01

Suppression of student speech won't fix school problems
By Charles Haynes When a kid is mocked or called names in school, something must be done about it. No one should have to suffer daily humiliation and ridicule as the price of an education.  03.11.01

Government can't censor Eminem, but citizens can
By Charles Haynes Winning three Grammys in one night is no small achievement. But controversial rapper Eminem has accomplished something even more astonishing this year.  03.04.01

Successful partnerships with faith-based groups focus on secular activities
By Charles Haynes Advocates of more partnerships between faith communities and public schools got a big boost earlier this month when President Bush directed the secretary of education to set up a new center for faith-based initiatives.  02.25.01

Public-school-sponsored baccalaureate service poses problem
By Charles Haynes Under current court rulings, school sponsorship of religious service at graduation is unconstitutional.  02.18.01

Public prayers on state occasions need not be divisive or generic
By Charles Haynes Debate over prayers offered at President Bush’s inauguration is yet another reminder of just how diverse and contentious America has become in the 21st century.  02.11.01

Federal funding for faith-based programs requires careful implementation
By Charles Haynes President Bush's ambitious plan to expand federal aid to faith-based programs appears to be gaining broad support across religious and political lines.  02.04.01

Forcing students to recite the pledge won't ensure patriotism
By Charles Haynes Age-old fight over how best to inspire patriotism in students has been re-ignited in Virginia this week by the introduction of a bill requiring daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools.  01.28.01

First court victory signals limitations on church zoning restrictions
By Charles Haynes Few Americans noticed when the awkwardly named Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) was signed into law last fall.  01.21.01

Poll shows Americans value the right of religious liberty
By Charles Haynes According to a poll released this week, the vast majority of Americans greatly appreciate the religious freedom and diversity of our nation, even though they don't know much about religions other than their own.  01.14.01

President-elect Bush likely to support character education, student prayer
By Charles Haynes When George W. Bush takes office this month, education reform will be at the top of the agenda.  01.07.01

Effectiveness of school vouchers still in question
By Charles Haynes On church-state issues, George W. Bush's honeymoon period may be over before it starts.  12.31.00

Expanded 'charitable choice' programs will require additional safeguards
By Charles Haynes In keeping with the season, a wave of holiday cheer has hit the nation's capital this week.  12.24.00

Religious liberty gains ground in year 2000
By Charles Haynes By any measure, the first year of the new century was a banner year for advocates of religious liberty in public education.  12.17.00

December's search for common ground begins on the public square
By Charles Haynes Some Americans have a strange way of celebrating the season of peace and good will.  12.10.00

Americans must uphold freedom of conscience for all
By Charles Haynes The world had just begun to absorb the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust when the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10, 1948.  12.03.00

New report suggests that teaching about religion is here to stay
By Charles Haynes Religion may finally be going back to school as a topic for study.  11.26.00

Some state lawmakers actively seeking common ground
By Charles Haynes After the rancor and division of the presidential race, I might not have chosen to spend an entire morning with a roomful of politicians.  11.19.00

Virginia student takes stand against silence
By Charles Haynes When his teacher calls for a moment of silence every morning, Jordan Kupersmith gets up and leaves the room.  11.12.00

Supreme Court to get Good News
By Charles Haynes The Good News Club is going to the Supreme Court. And the outcome could have far-reaching implications for how we apply the First Amendment in public schools.  11.05.00

Schools must model democracy to teach it effectively
By Charles Haynes Here's a frightening thought: The schools where we educate for democratic citizenship are often among the least democratic places in our society.  10.29.00

Award-winning Schools of Character showcase character-education successes
By Charles Haynes Character education is moving to the top of the school reform agenda.  10.23.00

Halloween activities in schools can be divisive
By Charles Haynes Many school administrators are caught in the crossfire between parents who support and parents who oppose Halloween observances in the classroom.  10.15.00

Students' religious expression has rightful place in public schools
By Charles Haynes Does the First Amendment ban any mention of Jesus in elementary public schools?  10.08.00

Public overlooking important implications of recent religious-protection act
By Charles Haynes Shouting matches and lawsuits over “school prayer,” holiday displays, vouchers and other church-state issues may grab the headlines.  10.01.00

Voters favor equal treatment for religious charities addressing social needs
By Charles Haynes Religion is the hot topic of campaign 2000. There's plenty of God-talk on the campaign trail, especially from the first Jewish candidate on a major party ticket.  09.24.00

Split decision over Bible story begs high court involvement
By Charles Haynes Did a first-grade teacher violate Zachary Hood's rights when she barred him from reading a story from the Beginner's Bible?  09.17.00

Increasing religious diversity will test commitment to first principles
By Charles Haynes When religion makes headlines in America, it's often bad news.  09.10.00

Conflicts will continue until educators take religion seriously
By Charles Haynes Despite a host of new guidelines and court decisions, the new school year in many communities will be filled with old conflicts about religion.  09.03.00

Lieberman candidacy moves nation closer to religious-liberty ideals
By Charles Haynes Whoever wins in November, just having Joseph Lieberman’s name on the ballot greatly advances the cause of religious liberty in America.  08.27.00

Youth organization finds way to share faith without alienating others
By Charles Haynes At a time when proselytizing often triggers conflict and confusion, a new policy by an evangelical Christian youth organization offers a model of how to share one’s faith with sensitivity and respect.  08.21.00

Book controversies in schools defy easy answers
By Charles Haynes Last week, I told you about efforts to ban Harry Potter books from public schools. Not only does Harry top the bestseller lists, he's also the number-one target for removal from classrooms and libraries.  08.13.00

Defusing the debate over 'Harry Potter'
By Charles Haynes Unless you live on a remote desert island, by now you know that Harry Potter has worked his magic on millions of children and on a surprising number of adults as well.  08.06.00

Defusing the debate over 'Harry Potter'
By Charles Haynes Unless you live on a remote desert island, by now you know that Harry Potter has worked his magic on millions of children and on a surprising number of adults as well.  08.06.00

Classroom veterans dispel myths surrounding public-school Bible courses
By Charles Haynes Mention teaching about the Bible in public schools, and voices from the left and the right will argue that it shouldn't be done.  07.30.00

New bill to expand freedom of worship has broad backing
By Charles Haynes Although it hasn't made the headlines, a new bill introduced in Congress this week could have far-reaching implications for religious freedom in America.  07.23.00

Students should be free to choose when it comes to matters of faith
By Charles Haynes Current fights over efforts in Colorado and Georgia to post the motto "In God We Trust" in public-school classrooms are the latest chapters in a long history of conflict over the place of religion in American public life.  07.16.00

Court's ruling will add fuel to voucher debate
By Charles Haynes The Supreme Court poked a big hole in Mr. Jefferson's "wall of separation" last week when it ruled that federal dollars may be used to buy computers and other instructional materials for religious schools.  07.09.00

Religious liberty part of America's revolution
By Charles Haynes What are the fireworks all about? Or, to put it another way, what's the real meaning of the American Revolution?  07.02.00

Court upholds 2 principles in prayer ruling
By Charles Haynes Here we go again. Last Monday's Supreme Court ruling on prayer at high school football games is sure to renew charges and counter-charges about God being "kicked out" of public schools.  06.25.00

Schools made strides, missteps on religion
By Charles Haynes The 1999-2000 school year will be remembered as the best of times and worst of times for religious liberty in public schools.  06.18.00

Upholding the First Amendment ensures genuine religious freedom
By Charles Haynes Students have the right to express their faith during the school day. But that isn't a license to turn public schools into places of worship.  06.11.00

Prison guards' long hair, beards show religious liberty alive, well
By Charles Haynes By winning the right to wear long hair and beards, prison guards in two states have demonstrated that religious freedom is alive and well in America.  06.04.00

Lawsuits over religion waste school funds
By Charles Haynes The school year ends, but the litigation goes on and on. Expensive, divisive lawsuits over religion will keep some school officials off the beach this summer and in the courtroom.  05.28.00

School guest speakers on religion should know ground rules
By Charles Haynes Public educators have debated for decades whether or not to encourage teaching about religion. Not any more.  05.21.00

Media putting more emphasis on religion
By Charles Haynes Our nation enters the 21st century as the most religiously diverse place on earth and, among developed nations, the most religious. In America, religion matters.  05.14.00

Constitution protects, restricts charter schools
By Charles Haynes When the nation's first charter school opened its doors in St. Paul, Minn., seven years ago, some critics called it a passing fad doomed to fail.  05.07.00

Page last updated: 10/1/2013 10:07:54 AM