Public school leaders often find themselves caught between groups with passionately held—but widely varying—views regarding the appropriate role for religion in public schools. Tensions are heightened by the growth of well-funded special interest groups inclined to litigate anywhere a test case arises. By reviewing the most recent judicial reasoning in defining the First Amendment's Establishment Clause applications to public schools, educational leaders can navigate effectively and appropriately around the divisive issues of church and state.
Adler v. Duval County School Board, 250 F.3d 1330 (11th Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 532 U.S. 905 (2001).
2.
American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey v. Schundler, 168 F.3d 92 (3d Cir. 1999).
3.
Bacus v. Palo Verde Unified School Dist. Bd. of Educ., 52 Fed.Appx. 355 (9th Cir. 2002).
4.
Baker v. Adams County/Ohio Valley School Bd, 86 Fed.Appx. 104 (6th Cir. 2004) cert. denied, 545 U.S. 1152 (2005).
5.
Bauchman v. West High School, 132 F.3d 542 (10th Cir. 1997).
6.
Brown v. Gilmore, 258 F.3d 265 (4th Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 534 U.S. 996 (2001).
7.
Brownfield. E.Y. (2007). The First Amendment implications of teaching the theory of evolution and creationism in public schools. Journal of Law and Education, 36(1), 141-149.
8.
Chandler v. Siegelman, 230 F.3d 1313 (11th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 533 U.S. 916 (2001).
9.
Child Evangelism Fellowship of New Jersey v. Stafford Township School District, 386 F.3d 514 (3d Cir. 2004).
10.
Civil Action for Deprivation of Rights, 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
11.
Cole v. Oroville Union High School Dist., 228 F.3d 1092 (9th Cir. 2000), cert. denied sub nom. Neimeyer v. Oroville Union High School Dist., 532 U.S. 905 (2001).
12.
Coles v. Cleveland Board of Education, 171 F.3d 369 (6th Cir. 1999), reh. denied, 183 F.3d. 538 (1999).
13.
County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union Greater Pittsburg Chapter, 492 U.S. 573 (1989).
14.
Cutter v. Wilkinson, 544 U.S. 709 (2005).
15.
Doe v. Porter, 188 F.Supp.2d 904 (E.D. Tenn. 2002), aff'd, 370 F.3d 558 (6th Cir. 2004).
16.
Doe v. School Board of Ouachita Parish, 274 F.3d 289 (5th Cir. 2001).
17.
Doe v. South Iron R-1 School District, 453 F.Supp.2d 1093 (E.D. Mo. 2006).
18.
Doe v. Tangipahoa Parish School Board, 473 F.3d 188 (5th Cir. 2006), reh. en banc granted, 478 F.3d 679 (2007).
19.
Dolan, W. (2004). No Child Left Behind's faith-based initiative provision and the Establishment Clause. Journal of Law and Education, 33(1), 1-19.
20.
Elk Grove Unified School Dist. v. Newdow, 542 U.S. 1 (2004).
Okun, S.J. (1996). Religion in the public schools: What does the First Amendment allow?NASSP Bulletin, 80(581), 26-36.
39.
Pierce v. Sullivan West Central School District, 379 F.3d 56 (2d Cir. 2004).
40.
Placing Harry Potter in school libraries not endorsement of Wicca religion . (2007). School Law News, 35(3), 8.
41.
Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of Univ. of Va., 515 U.S. 819 (1995).
42.
Rusk v. Crestview Local School District, 379 F.3d 418 (6th Cir. 2004).
43.
Russo, C.J. (2006). Of Baby Jesus and the Easter Bunny: Does Christianity still have a place in the educational marketplace of ideas in the United States. EducationLaw Journal, 16(1), 61-81.
44.
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000).
45.
Scopes v. State, 154 Tenn. 105, 289 S.W. 363 (1927).
46.
Seigler, T.J. (2003). Understanding original intent and stare decisis: Two methods of interpreting the Establishment Clause. Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(2), 208-238.
47.
Selman v. Cobb County School District, 390 F.Supp.2d. 1286 (N.D. Ga. 2005), vacated and remanded, 449 F.3d. 1320 (11th Cir. 2006).
48.
Skarin v. Woodbine Community School District, 204 F.Supp.2d 1195 (S.D. Iowa 2002).
49.
Skoros v. City of New York, 437 F.3d. 1, 3 (2d Cir. 2006), cert. denied, ___U.S. ___, 127 S.Ct. 1245, 75 USLW 3094 (U.S. Feb 20, 2007).
50.
Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985).
51.
Weinbaum v. Las Cruces Public Schools, 465 F.Supp.2d 1116 (D.N.M. 2006). Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (2005).
