In Does God Belong in Public Schools, author Kent Greenawalt explores what role religion should play in public schools and discusses the major divisive topics of today: origin of life, sex education, and when students can opt out of school activities for religious reasons. Using controversial Supreme Court decisions and other case studies, Greenawalt considers how to balance the country's constitutional commitment to personal freedoms with the vital role that religion has always played in American society.
He concludes that the bans on school prayer and the teaching of creationism are justified, and that the court should more closely examine such activities as the singing of religious songs and student papers on religious topics. He also argues that students ought to be taught more about religion, especially in history courses.
