Teaching About Religion in the Public Schools

Abstract

The Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools (“Toledo Principles”) call for compulsory courses on comparative religion in European public schools. If a similar proposal were made in the United States, the Supreme Court would likely strike it down under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Though accepting that conclusion, this Article will nonetheless challenge the Court’s misreading of that Clause to prohibit any official preference for religion and will trace its wooden application in the context of American public education.

Keywords: Establishment Clause, First Amendment, Constitution, religious beliefs, public school, Toledo Guiding Principles, teaching, comparative religion