Given the opportunity, the vast majority of parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members will commit to a principled dialogue, and will work for fair, open public schools. While it is true that a small number of people on all sides of these issues resist efforts to reach common ground, most Americans, when given an opportunity, want to find a way forward that best serves the schools and the community. We have found this to be true in every region of the country and across all religious and political lines. Establishing a climate where people listen to one another requires that we go beyond labels and rebuild trust. Public-school educators must keep in mind that, as leaders of institutions established by the people through the government, they are required to represent the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Public schools are first and foremost models of the nation's charter.
All else, including educational philosophy and proposals for change, should be decided by the people of each community working with school boards, administrators and teachers. If we are to rebuild trust and to truly listen to one another, public-education leaders must acknowledge what is valid about criticisms of the way religion has been treated in many public schools and in the curriculum. At the same time, critics of the schools must recognize that the vast majority of public-school administrators and teachers do not intend to be hostile to religion, and want only to be fair in their treatment of parents and students. But yes, there is a place for teaching about religions, and there are ways to accommodate the needs and requirements of religious students. Policies can be developed on student speech, distribution of literature, equal access, and other areas that signal strong support for protection of conscience and expression.