Justice Black wrote:

"The 'establishment of religion' clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another…No person can be punished for entertaining or professing one religion over another …No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or nonattendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion."

I am not a lawyer but I understand that the Court’s opinion in this case has been reaffirmed many times.

My hope is that, if the question arises, any judicial interpretation of the First Amendment will regard mandatory teaching of religion in public schools (K-12) as a violation of the “establishment of religion” clause.

Certainly most of us consider the teaching of religion a religious activity in whatever forms it takes. Most certainly the tax money spent on teaching religion would not be available to support other educational programs.

Those who regard religion as a source of superstition, bigotry, and prejudice, as did James Madison, might well object to such expenditures. The complications of such a mandatory effort in our schools are beyond imagining.

Will every variation of religion practiced in the United States be taught? If not, why not? Who decides what is taught and monitors what is taught?

For many years religious organizations created separate non-profit organizations to perform social service in their communities. These organizations simply had to follow the rules and do nothing that promulgated the religious beliefs and practices of their founders.

This simple and wise approach has been changed into President Bush’s “faith-based initiative”. Now lawsuits are beginning to sprout across the nation as it becomes clear that this seemingly small change is leading to tax dollars supporting and aiding religious programs and activities.

An effective wall between church and state is not easy to maintain. The separation of church and state has served this nation very well and I believe has also served the churches extremely well.

Religious liberty is a precious freedom. I do not wish to put this right at risk by entangling government in public school religious instruction, a place where it does not belong.

Where possible, we have encouraged our children and grandchildren to study religion at the college level or beyond, which is where it belongs.