The Fourth R: Conflicts Over Religion in America's Public Schools

By Joan DelFattore

Book Overview

A timely and engaging story of two centuries of controversy--and sometimes violence--over prayer in America's public schools

Contrary to popular belief, God has certainly not been kicked out of the public schools. What is banned is state-sponsored prayer, not the religious speech of the students themselves. But as news stories, political speeches, and lawsuits amply demonstrate, this approach has by no means resolved the long-standing debate over religion in public education. While some people challenge the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, with its reference to "one nation under God," others view school shootings and the terrorism of 9/11 as evidence that organized prayer must once again become part of the official school day.

In this lively book, Joan DelFattore traces the evolution of school-prayer battles from the early 1800s, when children were beaten or expelled for refusing to read the King James Bible, to current disputes over prayer at public-school football games. Underlying these events, she shows, is a struggle to balance two of the most fundamental tenets of Americanism: majority rule and individual rights. Her highly readable book explores the enduring tension between people of good will who wish the schools to promote majoritarian beliefs, and equally well-meaning (and often religious) people who deplore any governmental influence in religious matters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300102178
• ISBN13: 9780300102178
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

wonderful look at the history of religion in schools and compelling argument to keep it out from now

For me, the biggest eye-opener from reading this book was just how different the beliefs are, even within different Christian denominations -- even concerning something as seemingly innocent as prayer. The history of the violence between denominations in America was eye-opening, too. It made me realize that while it's nice to have the whole "God is good, God is great" thing reiterated at school, there's no way I would want my son's religious understanding influenced by the theology of whichever public school teacher he happened to be assigned to that year. A religious education is something to be provided at home and at church, not at school. (Unless you'd like to specifically send your child to a religious school, which is your choice.) This book really made me understand why this is so important, and I fear my review doesn't do it nearly justice enough.