Title: Religion in the Public Schools | Pew Research Center
Headings: Religion in the Public Schools
Religion in the Public Schools
About this report
The Pillars of Church-State Law
Prayer and the Pledge
School prayer
The Pledge of Allegiance
School officials and student speech
Religion in the curriculum
Creationism and evolution
Study of the Bible
Holiday programs
Multiculturalism
Rights in and out of the classroom
Rights of students
Rights of parents
Rights of teachers and administrators
Religious activities and the principle of equal access

Content: For example, can a class on the Bible as literature be taught without a bias for or against the idea that the Bible is religious truth? Can students be compelled to participate in a Christmas-themed music program? Sometimes students themselves, rather than teachers, administrators or coaches, bring faith into school activities. For instance, when a student invokes gratitude to God in a valedictory address, or a high school football player offers a prayer in a huddle, is the school legally responsible for their religious expression? The issues are complicated by other constitutional guarantees. For instance, the First Amendment also protects freedom of speech and freedom of association. Religious groups have cited those guarantees in support of student religious speech and in efforts to obtain school sponsorship and resources for student religious clubs. The right of a student or student club to engage in religious speech or activities on school property may, however, conflict with other protections, such as the right of students to avoid harassment. In one case, for example, a federal appeals court approved a high school’s decision to prohibit a student from wearing a T-shirt containing a biblical passage condemning homosexuality. Because the student had graduated by the time the Supreme Court granted his appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the lower court to vacate its ruling and dismiss the case.