THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 31, 1995 TAG: 9501310308
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Public school students could study the Bible in literature classes or during discussions comparing religions. Kids also would be free to participate in religious activities at school during their free time.
But teachers would be walking on thin legal ice if they tried to lead their classes in daily devotionals or attempted to promote a particular religious viewpoint.
Those are but a few of the guidelines that the state Board of Education hopes will help local school officials navigate the tricky constitutional issues posed by school prayer and other religious expression in public schools.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court banned organized school prayer in 1962, local school boards and administrators have struggled with the problem. The General Assembly last year directed the state Department of Education to develop standards that clearly spelled out constitutional rights and restrictions.
On Monday, Board of Education members voted to release for public review 25 pages of preliminary guidelines. Public hearings will be conducted before they are adopted.
``We want to make sure these guidelines are not only useful to local school systems in answering some of their questions, but that they're also accurate in terms of the law,'' board President James P. Jones said.
The challenge for public schools, Jones said, is to remain neutral toward religion while upholding the separation of church and state and the free expression of religion.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCHOOL PRAYER by CNB