Friday, November 30, 1G34
Pago 14
Dally Nebraskan
meetings...
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Nebraska made national head
lines two years ago when Cass
County Attorney , Ron Moravec
prosecuted the Rev. Everett
Siieven for operating an unap
proved Christian school in Louis
ville. Siieven and many parents
appeared before the Legislature
in February 1983 to support bills
that would have allowed unap
proved schooh to teach Nebraska
with non-certified teachers,
or parents could teach children
in their homes.
The bills died, but the effort
again raised questions about what
makes a good education. One
parent noted:
"Educators talk about teaching
kids values and morals. This is
iilii
offensive to us because they cant
use the Bible as a basis for any
thing. They wont even acknow
ledge God."
Other states faced equally tense
struggles, many over school
prayer. In August 1034, President
Reagan signed the Equal Access
Act into law to further clarify the
McCollurn ruling. Dick Kurtenb
ach, executive director of the
Nebraska Civil Liberties Union,
briefly summed up the significance
of the act: It allowed private
practice of religious beliefs in pub
lic schools, based on guarantees
of freedom of religious and politi
cal speech; for example, private
prayer or meditation in class
rooms is allowed. It more clearly
defines the difference between
religious speech and religious prae--tice.
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The American Civil Liberties
Union lists some examples of the
difference between speech and
practice, Kurtenbach said. Reli
gious speech would include aca
demic study of the Bible litera
ture, philosophical discussions on
religious issues and comparative
study of religions. Practice in
cludes formal religious ritual, such
as prayer services, mass or com
munion "The Equal Access Act doesnt
change the Supreme Court's rul
ing on organized religion," Kur
tenbach said. "It just more clearly
defines the difference between
organized practice and freedom
of religious speech."
Kurtenbach said "common
sense" helps distinguish such differences.
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"Religious freedom works two
ways," he said. "We have the right
to practice religion free of govern
ment interference. But the govern
ment cannot allow religion to
interfere with public education."
In other words, governments
cannot promote or discourage
religious practice or belief
especiallywhen applied to a "good
education."
Now the Lincoln Board of Edu
cation is considering a policy to
allow students to use school build
ings for religious or political meet
ings. The meetings would not
be held during class hours, nor
would they be school sponsored.
The policy is worded following
Equal Access Act guidelines,
according to school attorney Ed
Perry.
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Neither school staff members
nor outsiders could conduct these
meetings, but staffers could be
present. In other word3, students
can organize Bible study or prayer
groups, but ministers couklnt lead
them.
The school board will take action
onthepolicyDec.il.
Kurtenbach stressed that the
Equal Access Act is hot limited to
religious meetings, and did not
have the stated intent of "foster
ing the practice of religion in
schools
He aiso said that the NCLU
intends to monitor the policy, but
at this stage tentatively approves
the policy as explained by Perry
because of the use of language
following the Equal Access Act.
But the policy has the potential
to cause many problems. The
court3 and the lawmakers still
have not clearly delineated the
difference betw een prayer as reli
gious speech and prayer zs reli
gious practice.
Lincoln is a fairly homogene
ous city, but there are still many
religions practiced within its
boundaries. The yellow pages in
the city directory show 58 denomi
nations and divisions of denomi
nations, each with several
churches listed below. How will
Lincoln afford equal access for all
of these groups? Will dominant,
majority religions take precedence
over the African Methodist Epis
copal or the Jehovah's Witnesses?
"These are the questions' a fed
eral judge will face if the Equal
Access Act is pressed," Kurtenbach
said. "How will equal access apply
to a school setting?
As noted before, Lincoln
abounds with strong, enthusias
tic churches, most with youth
programs and study groups. There
is no need to bring prayer meet
ings into schools: Such action
could be ruled religious practice,
or it could lead to clearly organ
ized practice of religion in public
schools.
The policy may follow the Equal
Access Act's guidelines in every
intent and purpose, but the act
itself has inherent problems. Reli
gious meetings of all kinds should
be held in chosen churches, where
religious leaders can lead them
and school officials will be involved
and affected only if they so choose.
They can devote the rest of their
time to doing what they do best
giving children a "good education."
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is fc 3
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