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Religious Conflicts Don't Have To Divide Your District  Fortunately today Supreme Court decisions, legislation and ground-breaking initiatives by the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University have rendered both of those tactics obsolete. These have provided clarity about religious neutrality in public education that can help diverse constituencies find common ground to seek cooperative solutions to some of society's most difficult issues. Many districts have trained their staff, educated their communities and designed common ground policies that demonstrate how religious neutrality in public education can benefit all students. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that minors in a public school environment cannot be indoctrinated into any religious faith. But it also makes clear that neither can the public school seek to diminish or undermine that religious faith. The hope of American democracy is that one does not have to be less Christian, less Jewish, less an atheist or less anything else to participate in society. Learning how to do that will benefit every community, and will help school boards and administrators turn much of the dissent in their community into constructive dialogue that strengthens the district and the community. Never has their been a greater opportunity to engage the entire parent community as full partners in the process of education.
"Some board members were sure that we would find no resolution to the conflict. They expected all-out confrontation. You proved them wrong. Your uncommon mix of information, interaction skills and level -head was just what this community required. We have the ugly events behind us. We now count several former protesters among our most eager supporters." Gary Knox, Superintendent, Crane School District
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