Religion and the Public Schools

The document I have read about brings up the topic of religion integrated with schooling. I have been reading a lot about this subject for my project. In the beginning, it argues that if religion were to be entwined, it would go against the Constitution. "such an attempt would violate the spirit of our Constitution, which forbids the government to impose upon its citizens any religious observances..." It goes on about Roman Catholics and Lutherans more specifically; telling what they think about the integration.

Roman Catholics are taking their children out of public schooling to pay for parochial schools. The reasons that the Roman Catholics have for these separate schools are this: religion is the foundation of character and the first essential part of education. This is also supported by the Lutherans; "It can no more be seperated from education than light can be separated from color."

Why the Roman Catholics pay up to 15 million for education just to add a big of religion to the curriculum is beyond me. I do not think that anyone should have to pay that kind of money to learn about God. Especially in this economy, I don't understand why you would pay extra for something you can have for free. In public schools, they may not incorperate religion, but children can learn about it in a different manner. I took hebrew school a few days a week, those few hours were dedicated to teaching me about God and the history of Judaism. I learned a lot and think that I was held back because it wasn't integrated with my daily education.

Washington Gladden " Religion and the Public Schools," Annals of American History.

[Accessed February 10, 2010].