Religion in the Public Schools
As a preventive of anarchy, the Public School Council of Cleveland, Ohio, has voted to add the Lord’s Prayer, the Decalogue, and the Twenty-third Psalm to the course of instruction given in Cleveland’s public schools. The council has perhaps not thought about the disagreement between Protestants and Catholics touching the Ten Commandments, and the objection of the Jews to the Lord’s Prayer; possibly it has even slipped the mind of the council that many people who are taxed to maintain the public schools do not believe in religion at all, and would therefore be opposed to all three of these additions to the public-school course. But the council will certainly be reminded of all these things when it comes to carry its vote into effect. It will be admonished that it cannot build against anarchy upon a foundation of injustice. As the Independent (New York City) observes: “It is impossible to teach religion in the public schools without violating a principle that ought to be held fundamental to our American institutions; and the Church ought to be ashamed of itself when it asks the State to relieve it of any of its duty of religious instruction.”