Naomi Schaeffer Riley: Faith and the Fifth Grade

The author of God on the Quad warns us to think twice about jumping all over the Cupertino, California, school district that supposedly banned the Declaration of Independence from the classroom.

As the subhead to the above-linked article says: "Did a California school ban the Declaration of Independence? Not quite."

...Religious people nationwide will no doubt be following the case closely, thinking of instances in which public schools have over-interpreted the separation of church and state to mean virtually banning religion from their premises. But should this new lawsuit join that list of excessive vigilance? The parents and principal at Stevens Creek don't seem to have a problem with religion at their school. They do seem to feel that one of their fifth-grade teachers crossed a line. For those who worry about the way faith is treated in our public institutions, Mr. Williams may not be the best candidate for a hero.

If Naomi Schaeffer Riley is right, we might be in danger of unfairly punishing one of the school districts in this country that has, in general, been comfortable teaching the Judeo-Christian aspect of our heritage.