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

by Joan DelFattore

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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300102178
• ISBN13: 9780300102178
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 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.