The school prayer cases, properly understood,stand for is the proposition that the public school must not interferewith the constitutional right to raise children in their religion. Theseare not cases about the danger of prayer or religion but cases showingthat schools are dangerous. It is important to note that much of its originlies in its explicit desire to Protestantize Catholic children. Manyparents today are concerned about a similar effect against their religion. The worst thing you can do in any society is to turn over the task of moralteaching to the state.
Religion is the proper moral custodian in society.
To the extent that the public schoolsteach about life and the world in a way that leaves space for the religiousrealities that confront us each day, that is a good thing. To the extentthat public schools teach about life and the world in a way that does notleave space for these religious realities, that is not a good thing. Ithink that textbooks pay attention to the role of religion in history,bad as well as good. The entire adult world shares a seriousobligation to teach a serious moral code to young people. The schools can tdo it alone.