258 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
258 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SUPPORTED BY NEA
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Growing numbers of people in the United States think it is
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important to teach about religion in the public schools.
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["Teaching about religion" includes consideration of the beliefs
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and practices of religions; the role of religion in history and
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contemporary society; and religious themes in music, art, and
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literature.] But what is the appropriate place of religion in
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the public school curriculum? How does one approach such issues
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as textbook studies, values education, creation science, and
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religious holidays?
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The following questions and answers are designed to assist
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school boards as they make decisions about the curriculum and
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educators as they teach about religion in ways that are
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constitutionally permissible, educationally sound, and sensitive
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to the beliefs of students and parents.
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There are other questions concerning religion and the schools
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not addressed here, including school prayer, equal access, and
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how schools accommodate diverse religious beliefs and practices.
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For a full discussion of these broader issues, please contact
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the sponsors listed below.
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QUESTION: Is it constitutional to teach about religion in
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public schools?
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ANSWER: Yes. In the 1960s school prayer cases (which ruled
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against state-sponsored school prayer and Bible reading), the U.
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S. Supreme Court indicated that public school education may
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include teaching about religion. In Abington v. Schempp,
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Associate Justice Tom Clark wrote for the Court:
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[I]t might well be said that one's education
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is not complete without a study of comparative
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religion or the history of religion and its
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relationship to the advancement of civilization.
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It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy
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of study for its literary and historic qualities.
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Nothing we have said here indicates that such
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study of the Bible or of religion, when presented
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objectively as part of a secular program of edu-
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cation, may not be effected consistently with the
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First Amendment.
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QUESTION: What is meant by "teaching about religion" in the
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public school?
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ANSWER: The following statements distinguish between teaching
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about religion in the public schools and religious
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indoctrination:
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o The school's approach to religion is academic, not
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devotional.
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o The school may strive for student awareness of
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religions, but should not press for student
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acceptance of any one religion.
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o The school may sponsor study about religion, but may
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not sponsor the practice of religion.
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o The school may expose students to a diversity of
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religious views, but may not impose any particular
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view.
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o The school may educate about all religions, but may
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not promote or denigrate any religion.
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o The school may inform the student about various
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beliefs, but should not seek to conform him or her
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to any particular belief. [This answer is based on
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guidelines originally published by the Public Edu-
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Education Religion Studies Center at Wright State
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University.]
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QUESTION: Why should study about religion be included in the
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public school curriculum?
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ANSWER: Because religion plays a significant role in history
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and society, study about religion is essential to understanding
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both the nation and the world. Omission of facts about religion
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can give students the false impression that the religious life
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of humankind is insignificant or unimportant. Failure to
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understand even the basic symbols, practices, and concepts of
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the the various religions makes much of history, literature, art,
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and contemporary life unintelligible.
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Study about religion is also important if students are to value
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religious liberty, the first freedom guaranteed in the Bill of
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Rights. Moreover, knowledge of the roles of religion in the
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past and present promotes cross-cultural understanding essential
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to democracy and world peace.
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QUESTION: Where does study about religion belong in the
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curriculum?
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ANSWER: Wherever it naturally arises. On the secondary level,
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the social studies, literature, and the arts offer many
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opportunities for the inclusion of information about religions--
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their ideas and themes. On the elementary level, natural
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opportunities arise in discussions of the family and community
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life and in instruction about festivals and different cultures.
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Many educators believe that integrating study about religion
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into existing courses is an educationally sound way to acquaint
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students with the role of religion in history and society.
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Religion also may be taught about in special courses or units.
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Some secondary schools, for example, offer such courses as world
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religions, the Bible as literature, and the religious literature
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of the West and of the East.
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QUESTION: Do current textbooks teach about religion?
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ANSWER: Rarely. Recent textbook studies conclude that most
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widely used textbooks largely ignore the role of religion in
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history and society. For example, readers of high school United
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States history texts learn little or nothing about the great
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colonial revivals, the struggles of minority faiths, the
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religious motivations of immigrants, the contributions of
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religious groups to many social movements, major episodes of
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religious intolerance, and many other significant events of
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history. Education without appropriate attention to major
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religious influences and themes is incomplete education.
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QUESTION: How does teaching about religion relate to the
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teaching of values.
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ANSWER: Teaching about religion is not the same as teaching
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values. The former is objective, academic study; the latter
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involves the teaching of particular ethical viewpoints or
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standards of behavior.
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There are basic moral values that are recognized by the
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population at large (e.g., honesty, integrity, justice,
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compassion). These values can be taught in classes through
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discussion, by example, and by carrying out school policies.
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However, teachers may not invoke religious authority.
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Public schools may teach about the various religious and non-
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religious perspectives concerning the many complex moral issues
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confronting society, but such perspectives must be presented
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without adopting, sponsoring, or denigrating one view against
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another.
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QUESTION: Is it constitutional to teach the biblical account of
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creation in the public schools?
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ANSWER: Some states have passed laws requiring that creationist
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theory based on the biblical account be taught in the science
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classroom. The courts have found these laws to be
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unconstitutional on the ground that they promote a particular
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religious view. The Supreme Court has acknowledged, however,
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that a variety of scientific theories about origins can be
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appropriately taught in the science classroom. In Edwards v.
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Aguillard, the Court stated:
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[T]eaching a variety of scientific theories about
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the origins of humankind to school children might
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be validly done with clear secular intent of
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enhancing the effectiveness of science instruction.
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Though science instruction may not endorse or promote religious
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doctrine, the account of creation found in various scriptures
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may be discussed in a religious studies class or in any course
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that considers religious explanations for the origin of life.
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QUESTION: How should religious holidays be treated in the
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classroom?
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ANSWER: Carefully. Religious holidays offer excellent
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opportunities to teach about religions in the elementary and
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secondary classroom. Recognition of and information about such
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holidays should focus on the origin, history, and generally
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agreed-upon meaning of the observances. If the approach is
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objective, neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, it can
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foster understanding and mutual respect among students within
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and beyond the local community.
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Other sponsors of RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM, in
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addition to NEA are:
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American Academy of Religion
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Department of Religion
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501 Hall of Languages
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Syracuse University
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Syracuse, NY 13244
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American Association of School Administrators
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1801 North Moore Street
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Arlington, VA 22209
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American Federation of Teachers
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555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
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Washington, DC 20001
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American United Research Foundation
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900 Silver Spring Avenue
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Silver Spring, MD 20910
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Association for Supervision and
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Curriculum Development
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125 N. West Street
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Alexandria, VA 22314
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Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs
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200 Maryland Avenue, N.E.
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Washington, DC 20002
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Christian Legal Society
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P.O. Box 1492
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Merrifield, VA 22116
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National Association of Evangelicals
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1430 K Street, N.W.
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Washington, DC 20005
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National Conference of Christians and Jews
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71 Fifth Avenue
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New York, NY 10003
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National Council of Churches
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of Christ in the U.S.A.
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475 Riverside Drive
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New York, NY 10115
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National Council on Religion
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and Public Education
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Southwest Missouri State University
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901 South National Avenue
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Springfield, MO 65804
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National Council for the Social Studies
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3501 Newark Street, N.W.
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Washington, DC 20016
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National School Boards Association
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1680 Duke Street
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Alexandria, VA 22314
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U.S. Catholic Conference
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1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
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Washington, DC 20005
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IPDIS688
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