Political Quotes

“while the Supreme Court has issued decisions protecting the rights of parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children, the lower courts have narrowly interpreted these decisions to give them almost no value as precedent. As a result, public school officials have been permitted to abuse their authority and compel students--at the objection of their parents--to participate in activities violative of deeply held religious beliefs. This must be of concern at a time when we are all seeking ways to strengthen families and inculcate values in our children. One case, which a respected Federal court judge brought to my attention, not only demonstrates the courts' unwillingness to respect the constitutional rights of parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children, it illustrates a bizarre dichotomy that has developed between the first amendment religious clauses: the establishment clause, which prohibits an official religion in the United States, and the free-exercise clause, which ensures every American's freedom of conscience. It is my sincere hope that this discussion will prod the Congress into considering ways we can assure that the Constitution will be applied to protect the rights of parents committed to firm moral guidance of their children, and in the process repair the glaring inconsistency that now exists regarding enforcement of these religious clauses in our Constitution.”