Each year since 1993, the president has set aside Jan. 16 as Religious Freedom Day, calling on Americans to observe the day with "appropriate events and activities in homes, schools and places of worship."
The day marks the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom in 1786.
“It’s important for Americans to be reminded that everyone is protected by the First Amendment, and that includes teachers, administrators and especially students,” said David Cortman, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF).
ADF is partnering with Gateways to Better Education to help students and parents equip their public schools to celebrate the day. A special Web site can help parents, teachers and students get involved.
“Almost every week, we hear new reports of students’ religious liberties being threatened — their right to have Christian clubs, their right to express Christian viewpoints when their school discusses homosexuality, their right to pray in public,” said Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family Action.
“That’s why it’s so important that parents and students take this opportunity to help their schools acknowledge and celebrate the First Amendment freedoms that are a core part of our nation’s history.”
(NOTE: Referral to Web sites not produced by Focus on the Family is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.)
