Adopted on October 30, 1993, at the CSJO Executive Board meeting in Detroit, Michigan, USA
The Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations
(CSJO) opposes the use of public funds for parochial or private
schools. "Educational choice" plans which provide vouchers
or other government funding for use in parochial schools violates
the principle of church/state separation and funding for private
schools threatens to undermine public support of quality public
education.
The CSJO opposes the use of public
school premises for religious education, meetings or worship
when school is in session.
The CSJO opposes any school-sponsored
prayer as unconstitutional. This includes prayer initiated
and organized by students, and so-called moments of silence,
which are a subterfuge for the introduction of prayer into
public schools. We urge our affiliates to continue to oppose
any legislation or proposed constitutional amendments that
would allow school prayer in any form or other religious practices
in public schools.
The CSJO views the placement of religious
symbols in a public forum as violative of the constitutional
principle of separation of church and state.
The CSJO urges our affiliates in coalition
with other like-minded groups to undertake educational efforts
within the Jewish community on the importance of the separation
principle, with special reference to religious symbols and
religion in the public schools. |