Synopses & Reviews
According to William Jeynes, the lack of both school prayer and consistent moral instruction in our schools has had devastating consequences both for our education system and for the nation as a whole. In A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the SchoolS≪/i>, Jeynes makes a compelling case for restoring moral instruction and nonspecific religious moments to the classroom as a way of restoring a much needed moral grounding in American society in general.
A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the SchoolS≪/i> traces the history of character education in the public schools, including coverage of leading advocates of their inclusion from Thomas Jefferson to DeWitt Clinton to Horace Mann. Jeynes then offers a broad survey of the country since the Supreme Court decisions of 1962 and 1963, asserting that most of America's greatest problems are moral in nature, and could be addressed by making moral instruction and a focus on the spiritual a part of our young citizens' school lives.
Review
"In this remarkable book, Bill Jeynes makes an impassioned case for moral education and the place for voluntary prayer in schools in the United States. His analysis begins with the Founding Fathers and offers a fresh understanding of the First Amendment and, in particular, powerfully debunks conventional and misleading interpretations of free exercise and non-establishment. He explains how these conventional interpretations gave way to a secular bias, ultimately leading to the removal of prayer and moral instruction from American schools. Quoting the dissenting opinion in Engel v. Vitale, the 1962 Supreme Court case banning prayer from schools, Jeynes offers an incisive indictment of the implications of these decisions: 'The decision resulted in 'the establishment of a religion of secularism.' Jeynes argues persuasively for a renewed appreciation of the role of religion in American civic life and the importance of character formation and prayer in
the educational lives of our nation's children." < p="">Professor Tim Scully <> < p="">Director of Institute of Educational Initiatives <> < p="">Professor of Political Science <> < p="">University of Notre Dame <>
Review
"A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the SchoolS≪/i> is a profound and thought-provoking analysis of the history of moral education and prayer in public schools in America. The breadth and depth of William Jeynes' vision are remarkable. The book integrates the insights Jeynes gained during his successful career as a distinguished scholar of religious education. He asserts that many of the problems in the USA today are moral and therefore revisiting and reintroducing character education and taking a moment of silence would be wise. Educators will surely benefit from this important book." < p="">Dr. Zehavit Gross <> < p="">Head, Policy, Administration and Leadership in Informal Education Systems <> < p="">School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Israel <>
Review
"William Jeynes argues persuasively for public schools to pay attention to character education and religious freedom. Millions of parents choose private and home schools because they want their children taught in schools that provide moral education and respect religious expression. Can public schools do a better job in these areas? Jeynes makes the case that they must, and gives historical evidence that until relatively recently they did.'
" < p="">Jack Klenk, former director of the Office of Non-Public Education at the U.S. Department of Education <> < p=""> <>
Synopsis
• Includes excerpts from primary documents such as diaries, letters, speeches, and eyewitness accounts
• Offers a chronology of the history of character education and prayer in the schools throughout American history, with some reference to world history
• A helpful index offers access to the major topics examined in the book
Synopsis
This book offers an examination of the related topics of school prayer and character education in the United States, advocating for their return to public schools.
According to William Jeynes, the lack of both school prayer and consistent moral instruction in our schools has had devastating consequences both for our education system and for the nation as a whole. In A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the Schools, Jeynes makes a compelling case for restoring moral instruction and nonspecific religious moments to the classroom as a way of restoring a much needed moral grounding in American society in general.
A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the Schools traces the history of character education in the public schools, including coverage of leading advocates of their inclusion from Thomas Jefferson to DeWitt Clinton to Horace Mann. Jeynes then offers a broad survey of the country since the Supreme Court decisions of 1962 and 1963, asserting that most of America's greatest problems are moral in nature, and could be addressed by making moral instruction and a focus on the spiritual a part of our young citizens' school lives.
Synopsis
This book offers an examination of the related topics of school prayer and character education in the United States, advocating for their return to public schools.
Synopsis
A examination of the related topics of school prayer and character education in the U.S. that advocates for their return to public schools.
Synopsis
According to William Jeynes, the lack of both school prayer and consistent moral instruction in our schools has had devastating consequences both for our education system and for the nation as a whole. In A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the Schools, Jeynes makes a compelling case for restoring moral instruction and nonspecific religious moments to the classroom, as a way of restoring a much needed moral grounding in American society in general.
A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the Schools traces the history of character education in the public schools, including coverage of leading advocates of their inclusion from Thomas Jefferson to DeWitt Clinton to Horace Mann. Jeynes then offers a broad survey of the country since the Supreme Court decisions of 1962 and 1963, asserting that most of America's greatest problems are moral in nature, and could be addressed by making moral instruction and a focus on the spiritual a part of our young citizens'school lives.
Synopsis
• Advocates a return to character education and school prayer as a means of addressing the nation's moral decline
• Offers unique coverage of the related issues of moral education and the Bible in public schools, where most other volumes focus on one or the other
• Examines character education from a historical perspective, drawing heavily on primary documents such as diaries, letters, speeches, and eyewitness accounts
• Gives guidance about how various expressions of character education, Bible reading, and prayer can or cannot be included in the public school curriculum