A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE
July 7, 1999

Contact:
Julie Green
(202) 401-3026

STATEMENT BY U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION RICHARD W. RILEY
On the release of "Public Schools and Religious Communities: A First Amendment Guide"

These guidelines are an invitation to America's faith community to become much more active in helping to educate and nurture the millions of young people now in our nation's public schools. As these guidelines indicate, America's schools and religious communities have different and distinct missions, yet there are many ways that they can join hands to help our children grow and learn within a proper Constitutional framework.

I am pleased that many faith communities are moving to support public education in new and promising ways. Religious communities can provide tutors for reading programs, mentors to support young people, safe havens for children after-school, and crisis counseling when necessary. This is something that I have always encouraged.

In 1994, the U.S. Department of Education created the "Partnership for Family Involvement in Education," including several of the co-signers represented today. Our goal then was to encourage every part of the community, including America's many faith communities, to be active supporters of public education. Today, over 5,000 organizations, including many religious ones, are part of this growing Partnership.

In the last several years, President Clinton has worked to build new bridges between America's faith communities and public education. In 1995, and again in 1998, the Administration issued guidelines on "Religious Expression in Public Schools." In the last four years, my Department has organized four religious education summits across the country to encourage and explain how faith-based communities can properly support public education. And last week, over 20 religious leaders joined me in an all day conference to explore new ways in which educators and religious leaders can work together to keep all of our young people out of harm's way. In the aftermath of Littleton, every part of the American family has a role to play in helping young people feel connected.

As these guidelines indicate, schools must "be neutral concerning religion in all of their activities." Religious communities, for their part, must be equally vigilant. Reading volunteers and mentors recruited by churches, synagogues and mosques can help children learn their ABC's but they are never allowed to preach. The First Amendment has clearly established boundaries that must be respected.

I congratulate the American Jewish Congress, the Christian Legal Society, the First Amendment Center and the many other co-signers for this positive and encouraging effort to build new links between public education and America's vibrant faith based communities.

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