WASHINGTON (September 9, 2024) – The practice of mixing religion and public education is on the rise.
This summer Louisiana became the first state in the U.S. to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom in the state from kindergarten to state-funded universities.
Weeks later, Texas and Florida joined the gulf state in wanting to bring religious chaplains into their public school systems.
Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to provide commentary, analysis and explanation of the rise of religion in public spaces. If you wish to speak with an expert, please contact Shannon Mitchell at [email protected].
Robert Tuttle, David R. and Sherry Kirchner Berz Research Professor of Law and Religion and Professor of Religion (by courtesy) for GW’s Columbian College of Arts & Sciences. Tuttle has three decades of teaching in Religion and Law and has co-authored numerous articles and reports in the fields of church-state law and legal ethics. In addition to his law degree, Tuttle has a PhD in religious ethics.
Tuttle has been quoted in a variety of publications to discuss similar matters over the years. Tuttle and colleague, Ira C Lupu co-authored in scholarly journal in 2023, The Remains of the Establishment Clause, “We show how a Free Exercise-based conception of religious distinctiveness generates significant advantages for religious individuals (including staff in public schools) and institutions while simultaneously insulating them from state control. Government, once subject to a distinctive limitation on promoting or sponsoring religion, now must afford religion distinctive privileges.”
Dean Michael Feuer is an education policy professor and former president of the National Academy of Education. He can discuss the idea of dismantling the Department of Education and what that would mean for public schooling.
Dr. Joshua L. Glazer is an associate professor of education policy who co-wrote a book about charter schools and vouchers, called Choosing Charters: Better Schools or More Segregation?. He has also done research in low income school districts in Tennessee. He can address proposals related to school choice and voucher initiatives, as well as the idea of turning Title I program funding (for lower-income school districts) into block grants for the states to fund vouchers.
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