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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR ARTS v. FINLEY

Opinion of the Court

hortation to “take them into consideration,” it seems un-
likely that this provision will introduce any greater element
of selectivity than the determination of “artistic excellence”
itself. And we are reluctant, in any event, to invalidate leg-
islation “on the basis of its hypothetical application to situa-
tions not before the Court.” FCC v. Paciﬁca Foundation,
438 U. S. 726, 743 (1978).

The NEA’s enabling statute contemplates a number of in-
disputably constitutional applications for both the “decency”
prong of § 954(d)(1) and its reference to “respect for the di-
verse beliefs and values of the American public.” Edu-
cational programs are central to the NEA’s mission. See
§ 951(9) (“Americans should receive in school, background
and preparation in the arts and humanities”); § 954(c)(5) (list-
ing “projects and productions that will encourage public
knowledge, education, understanding, and appreciation of the
arts” among the NEA’s funding priorities); National Endow-
ment for the Arts, FY 1999 Application Guidelines 18–19 (de-
scribing “Education & Access” category); Brief for Twenty-
six Arts, Broadcast, Library, Museum and Publishing Amici
Curiae 5, n. 2 (citing NEA Strategic Plan FY 1997–FY 2002,
which identiﬁes children’s festivals and museums, art educa-
tion, at-risk youth projects, and artists in schools as exam-
ples of the NEA’s activities). And it is well established that
“decency” is a permissible factor where “educational suitabil-
ity” motivates its consideration. Board of Ed., Island Trees
Union Free School Dist. No. 26 v. Pico, 457 U. S. 853, 871
(1982); see also Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser, 478
U. S. 675, 683 (1986) (“Surely it is a highly appropriate func-
tion of public school education to prohibit the use of vulgar
and offensive terms in public discourse”).

Permissible applications of the mandate to consider “re-
spect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American pub-
lic” are also apparent.
In setting forth the purposes of the
NEA, Congress explained that “[i]t is vital to a democracy
to honor and preserve its multicultural artistic heritage.”