December 1, 2005: ACLU-TN Alerts School Superintendents/High School Principals about Religious Freedom

For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 1, 2005

For More Information, Contact:
Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN Executive Director

ACLU-TN Alerts Public School Superintendents and High School Principals to Importance of Religious Freedom Guarantees

Nashville - The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) today sent its Briefing Paper - "Religion in Public Schools" to all 139 public
school superintendents and 372 public high school principals in Tennessee.
The briefing paper provides constitutionally sound guidelines for regulating
religious activities in public schools and describes which activities are
and are not permissible in public schools.

As the holiday season approaches, the ACLU receives even more inquiries from parents concerned about the occurrence of religious activities in public
schools. Weinberg said, "ACLU-TN sent out this information in the hopes of
clarifying what is and isn't permissible on school campuses during the school day. Our experience is that many educators and administrators are receiving confusing messages about the constitutional constraints on religion in government-sponsored activities. The purpose of the First Amendment is not to prohibit religious expression, but rather to preserve the freedom to worship or not as one chooses."

According to ACLU-TN briefing paper, permissible religious activities in
public schools include: student-led religious clubs, along with other
extra-curricla clubs during non-instructional time; annual "See You At the
Pole" events before school hours; private prayer by students that is neither
disruptive nor inhibits the rights of others; and Bible reading on the
school bus and during free periods.

The briefing paper also identifies commonly occurring religious activities
that are not permissible; they include: prayer at assemblies, athletic events, over the loud speaker, and in the classroom; distribution of Bibles;
mandatory recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance; and school-sponsored
religious activities that promote religious doctrines.

In the cover letter sent with the briefing paper, Weinberg concludes, "The
founders of the United States believed in the importance of religion. They
understood that religion belonged not within the public realm of government
and public schools but rather in the private realm of families and religious
institutions. The First Amendment ensures that religious freedom will
flourish as long as individuals and not the government determine whether to
pray, when to pray, and to whom to pray."

Weinberg urged school superintendents and high school principals to share
the briefing papers with their staff and students and to contact ACLU-TN if
they had any questions.

The briefing paper - "Religion in Public Schools" - is attached.

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ACLU-TN Briefing Paper - Religion in Public Schools (33 KB)