FIRST-PERSON: Debate over Eminem’s Grammys includes First Amendment misuse
WASHINGTON (BP)--Winning three Grammys in one night is no small achievement. But controversial rapper Eminem has accomplished something even more astonishing this year. He's made Christian conservatives on the right and gay activists on the left into allies.
ANALYSIS: After-school Christian clubs pushed into Supreme Court test
WASHINGTON (BP)–The Good News Club is going to the Supreme Court. And the outcome could have far-reaching implications for how we apply the First Amendment in public schools. The case involves the refusal of a New York school district to allow a Christian youth group — the Good News Club — to use school facilities […]
ANALYSIS: Results of character education evident in discipline, academics
WASHINGTON (BP)–Character education is moving to the top of the school reform agenda. Sixteen states now mandate or encourage it through legislation. Thirty-six states and Washington, D.C., have received federal grants to develop character education initiatives. The two presidential candidates support it. But skeptics and naysayers abound. We hear that character education is mostly superficial, […]
ANALYSIS: Educators needn’t panic if students mention Jesus’ name
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Does the First Amendment ban any mention of Jesus in elementary public schools? Incidents in three states in recent weeks suggest that some teachers and administrators still think the answer is “yes.” A school superintendent in Alabama turned down a request by a community member to start an after-school club for students at […]
ANALYSIS: Harvest-themed ‘fun activities’ wise Halloween option in schools
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–If it’s October, it must be Halloween. Kids are already clamoring for costumes (we’ll see a lot of Harry Potters) and stores are gearing up for the annual economic bonanza. But for many school administrators, Halloween is no longer any fun. They’re caught in the crossfire between parents who support and parents who […]
