When a public school is sued repeatedly for violating the U.S. Constitution's religion clauses, it needs help.
Religious freedom is the crown jewel of the Constitution and public schools play an important role in upholding the Constitution's ban on establishment of religion, while protecting the free speech and free exercise rights of students. Unfortunately, after a Wilson County school lost a federal case for promoting religion last year, the school board now faces a suit for failing to respect students' rights to religious expression after school officials insisted upon removal of religious references in student artwork promoting a student-led event.
There is no doubt that cases concerning religion in the public schools turn on precise facts and the balance of competing principles.
That is why federal guidelines on religion in the public schools have been promulgated and distributed by Democrats and Republicans and are consistently recommended as a basis for school policies. They are designed to help schools avoid promoting religion but also affirm the rights of students consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment.
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