December 20, 1999

ORTHODOX UNION WELCOMES PRESIDENT'S
PROMOTION OF GUIDELINES FOR RELIGION & PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America -- the
nation's largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, through its
Institute for Public Affairs welcomed President Bill Clinton's promotion
of guidelines for the proper teaching of religion in America's public
schools.  The President discussed the "Teacher's Guide to Religion in
the Public Schools" in his weekly radio address Saturday morning.  The
Teacher's Guide was developed and endorsed by a broad coalition of
religious organizations and communities including the Orthodox Union,
the National Council of Churches, Christian Legal Society and American
Jewish Congress.

The Teacher's Guide recognizes that under current constitutional
precedents, America's public schools "may not inculcate religion," they
"must be places where religion and religious conviction are treated with
fairness and respect."  The Teacher's Guide recognizes that public
schools may teach "about religion" and that the study of religion's role
in art, history and culture is "an important part of a well rounded
education."  The Teacher's Guide also gives guidance on how teachers
could accomplish this important task, and how they should deal with
their personal religious convictions, and those of their students.

In his radio address, President Clinton announced that the Teacher's
Guide, along with guidebooks on religion in the schools for parents, and
a Guide on Religious Communities and Public Schools - discussing
appropriate ways for public schools to partner with local religious
communities to provide youth services and other important needs - would
be sent by the U.S. Department of Education to every public school
principal in the United States.

Nathan Diament, director of the Union's Institute for Public Affairs,
states in connection with the President's address:

President Clinton's promotion of constitutionally-approved methods for
recognizing religion and religious conviction as an important part of
the lives of America's schoolchildren is most welcome.  Americans,
including our schoolchildren, are people of faith. The notion that our
public schools - the places where we form the character of most of
America's next generation - must be places bereft of any mention of
religion is a position clearly not supported by the U.S. Constitution,
nor in the best interests of our nation.  The guides that will be
disseminated will help restore the proper role and relationship between
religion and our public schools.  The Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations is pleased to support this effort, and applauds President
Clinton's promotion of it.

###