Freedom of Religion (Bill of Rights)

Explores the issue of the separation of church and state, discussing the the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and prayer in schools, focusing on individual cases and historical contexts.

Gr. 7-10. The cover of this entry in the Bill of Rights series--a picture of grade-school children praying at their desks--makes this book appear deceptively easy to read. In fact, the essays constituting the text are no way diluted for students. A series foreword discusses the Bill of Rights and the Supreme Court's responsibility to interpret them, and an introduction focuses on issues surrounding prayer in schools. The rest of the book is divided into chapters made up of short essays covering topics ranging from the early history of religious rights to the free-exercise clause and the Supreme Court. Various aspects of each topic are considered. For instance, in the chapter dealing with perspectives on religion in America, one writer discusses how the separation of church and state benefits religion, while another argues that the Supreme Court's decisions have been flawed. Notes on the origins of the Bill of Rights and a short survey of relevant Supreme Court decisions are appended. Straight text with no photographs marks this for serious students. Titles covering six of the 10 amendments comprising the Bill of Rights are now available. Ilene Cooper
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