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President Clinton announces mailing of religious-liberty guidelines to all public schools; 3 First Amendment Center publications
12.18.99
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ARLINGTON, Va. — The religious-liberty guidelines that President Clinton will send to all public schools includes three publications prepared by the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, Charles Haynes, senior scholar for religious liberty programs at the center, said today.
President Clinton announced the mailing today in his weekly national radio address at 10:30 a.m. ET. The First Amendment Center publications in the U.S. Department of Education mailing:
A Teacher's Guide to Religion in the Public Schools, which answers key questions on how to teach about religion in ways that are constitutional and educational. Published by the First Amendment Center, this guide is endorsed by 22 organizations including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Anti-Defamation League, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, the Council on Islamic Education, both teacher's unions, and the National School Boards Association.
Public Schools and Religious Communities, which explains how schools and faith communities can work together in ways that are permissible under the First Amendment. Guidance is given on such topics as mentoring programs, crisis counseling, and released-time education. Drafted by the Christian Legal Society, the American Jewish Congress, and the First Amendment Center, this publication is endorsed by the U. S. Catholic Conference, the American Association of School Administrators, and 9 other national groups.
A Parent's Guide to Religion in the Public Schools, a joint publication of the National PTA and the First Amendment Center that offers concise information to parents on student rights, excusal requests, and teaching about religion in the curriculum.
"For the first time in our history every public school will have clear, constitutional guidance on the proper role of religion in the schools under current law." Haynes said. "These guidelines are not from the "left" or the "right" — they represent a consensus of many religious and educational groups from across the political and religious spectrum."
The DOE mailing also includes:
Religious Expression in Public Schools, which enumerates the religious-liberty rights of students under current court rulings. First issued by the president in 1995, the guide describes, among other things, the right of students to pray alone or in groups, to share their faith with each other, to form religious clubs in secondary schools, and to distribute religious literature to their classmates. The contents are based on a joint statement of current law issued by 35 religious and civil liberties groups.
How Faith Communities Support Children's Learning in Public Schools, a U.S. Department of Education publication that describes examples in local school districts of effective and constitutional partnerships between religious communities and public schools. Included are after-school programs, tutorials, school-safety initiatives, and other successful collaborations.
"Public schools often are so concerned about violating the separation of church and state that they end up treating religion as a non-entity. By failing to recognize religion as a critical component of both our history and culture, schools shortchange students and violate the spirit of the First Amendment," said Kenneth A. Paulson, executive director of the First Amendment Center.
The full text of the guidelines is available at the U.S. Department of Education's Web site, http://www.ed.gov. Text of the three First Amendment Center publications is available at the Freedom Forum's news and information Web site, http://www.freedomforum.org.
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EDITORS:
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Charles Haynes will be available for interviews today at the White House following President Clinton's radio address, and later by contacting Gene Policinski, 615-342-0328 or 615-579-5560.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Gene Polcinski, First Amendment Center, 615/342-0328. For information about the center's religious-freedom programs, please contact Stephanie Goff, 703/284-2826.
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