Constitution: Religion/Conscience
In class, we talked about the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Those two clauses represent the distinction between public and private. The Establishment Clause limits what can be done in institutions sponsored by tax dollars. The Free Exercise Clasue prohibits limits on private belief and behavior. Sometimes it is difficult to know where to draw the line. Can a high school valedictorian reference religion in her graduation speech at a public school? Do state capitals really have to display Satanic statues? There are many stories in the news each year that talk about a conflict between free exercise and establishment. Find one and research it. Use the story to explain why it’s controversial and how it poses a difficult question in terms of free exercise and establishment. Use quality news sources to inform yourself. You will not be graded on your personal opinions about religion but rather your knowledge of this issue and the current events surrounding it.
(Note: you might not see the Establishment or Free Exercise clauses mentioned in the story. Instead, the story might just say something about “religious freedom” or “atheists’ rights,” or something, but you know the significance of those parts of the First Amendment.)
