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Religious freedom, the freedom of conscience, is a core ideal of American democracy.
The United States is, arguably, the most religiously diverse society in the world
and, among developed nations, one of the most religious. Religious freedom is the
first freedom listed in our nation's Bill of Rights. This liberty is a fundamental
right that every individual possesses, including students in public schools. Because
of this, religious liberty in the school deserves particular study by high-school
students and their teachers.
The First Amendment begins with the words:
"Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof... "
These words guarantee the right to profess and practice any faith or none, and to
assert these beliefs within the bounds of the law. The First Amendment also prevents
the government from coercing individuals in matters of religion. The national commitment
to inalienable individual rights is set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
Religious freedom is one such inalienable right, and it is a central aspect of individual
identity.
The classroom is one of the most critical places where religious freedom can be
both taught and lived. This video and guide have been designed to assist you in
your First Amendment studies. The video and guide may be used anytime during the
school year in social studies classes and other courses of study, by high-school
debate and forensics teams, and as a general information resource. You may also
find it useful for National Constitution Day classes (September 17). The purpose
of these materials is to help you, the teacher, find a way to both implement and
teach this first freedom in your classroom today, as you educate young people to
become the citizens of tomorrow.
Beyond the classroom, the courtroom is another critical place where religious liberty
issues are laid out and decided. In this video, we attempt to bring these two arenas
together by sharing with you the differing legal perspectives of two of the country's
foremost authorities on religious freedom.
This section includes:
- A 22-minute-long video
- Background information
- Primary document analysis
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Lesson ideas and class exercises
- Debate/forensics team topic
These materials will open the door for you and your students to grapple with and
learn about one of the core values that underlies the Constitution. You will find
its content balanced, and sometimes surprising.
Next Section - BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
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