Charles Haynes Quotes (14 Quotes)

I don't think it's going to go away at all. With the strong Roman Catholic population in Massachusetts, it may be easier in other places to pass such legislation.

That was when the court decided to weaken the Tinker standard. The school really does have to show it would be a serious disruption.

There's been an effort over recent decades to persuade many conservative religious people that separation is not in the Constitution, and to undermine support for it.

O'Connor could be the key vote here. She would support keeping RFRA applicable to the federal government, which is one of the issues in that case.

Behind this is the tension around the country about how to go about doing a Bible elective, and a lot is at stake.

This is not a Sunday school course. I think the legislature didn't do its homework, didn't think about the ramifications of this.

Some of the courses I've encountered around the country over 20 years would not pass muster in a court of law. They're closer to Sunday School than legitimate academic courses.

There really is confusion out there. Finding common ground sounds good. But the reality is, a lot of people on all sides have a stake in the fight.

This is not about compromising convictions. This is about finding ways to work and live together as American citizens.

Today it's something about hallucinogenic tea, but tomorrow it could be something that Roman Catholics or Southern Baptists or a number of groups need some accommodation in relation to a federal law.

This guide offers a third choice. Treat religion with fairness and respect. Keep the government neutral in matters of religion, not promoting religion or denigrating it.

The power of these recommendations is that they come from leaders representing a broad spectrum of religious conviction. At the table were people with Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Native American and humanist perspectives, as well as individuals from advocacy groups ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Center for Law and Justice.

Americans are deeply divided over homosexuality in our society. But if school officials and community members use the ground rules of the First Amendment, they can reach agreement on how public schools can guard the rights of all students in a safe learning environment.

The broader issue is there are many U.S. conservative Christians who feel that public schools have become hostile to their faith.