Acknowledging Public Schools Week might seem a bit off-beat for a blog dedicated to issues surrounding religious liberty. In fact, as I emphasize each year, supporting a robust public education system is an extremely important part of maintaining religious freedom for all. Public schools provide education to all children without indoctrination of religious views or practices. It also provides a community space for children of all faiths to learn together, play together and just be together: a remarkable daily lesson in empathy and community building. As Dr Stephen Reid explains in a reflection for BJC’s Medium channel, supporting public schools “is an expression of the common good valued in Christian theology.”

That’s why staunch advocates of religious liberty — such as BJC — oppose dangerous initiatives like school vouchers and other programs that would send taxpayers’ money to fund religious education. We also oppose efforts – like Project Blitz – that support legislation that would promote religious belief in various ways in public schools. That’s why advocates are paying particular attention to religious freedom challenges involving public schools, including the one currently headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. There, a football coach is seeking his dismissal for his practice of praying on the field after games violating his free exercise rights under the First Amendment. BJC’s Jennifer Hawks provides a helpful review of why public school teachers are the “advocates of religious freedom for 90% of American school children.”

With the challenges facing educators and administrators this year – from banned books and complaints about curriculum to managing COVID restrictions and the spread of disease – it has never been more important to show our support for the role of public schools in our communities. Reverend Robin Anderson explains this powerfully in a beautiful new column about the importance to his ministry of supporting the work of public schools and public school teachers. This makes do not means, she says, “we encourage anyone to proselytize in public schools. Far from there!”

In another new and illuminating column, Dr. Sabrina Dent explores some of the complexities of the separation of church and state for communities of color and reminds us that every child should “have access to quality education in public schools without the threat of discrimination or religious privilege”. .”

What can you do to help make your support for public schools known? Many! BJC has a great resource on religious freedom in public schools. You can access them in PDF format, and they have graphs with social media information — you can share them with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can also share a personal story on social media to describe your own positive public school experience as a student, parent, teacher, or community member. Use the hashtag #PublicSchoolProud.

Public schools remain a vital institution in educating our children in important civic values ​​– inside and outside the classroom – and in connecting communities across a number of social divides. But we cannot take it for granted. Efforts to weaken the public school system are intensifying across the country. You can start being a defender today!