Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page S6380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 750--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2020,
THROUGH OCTOBER 3, 2020, AS ``RELIGIOUS EDUCATION WEEK'' TO CELEBRATE
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs.
Loeffler, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Scott of South Carolina,
Mr. Braun, and Mr. Daines) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 750
Whereas the free exercise of religion is an inherent,
fundamental, and inalienable right protected by the First
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;
Whereas the United States has long recognized that the free
exercise of religion is important to the intellectual,
ethical, moral, and civic development of individuals in the
United States, as evidenced by founders of the United States,
such as--
(1) Benjamin Franklin, who believed religion to be
``uniquely capable of educating a citizenry for democracy'';
and
(2) George Washington, who said in his farewell address,
``Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political
prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable
supports.'';
Whereas religious education is useful for self-development,
because it asks students to consider and respond to questions
concerning the meaning and purpose of life, engages students
in questions about morality and justice, and enables students
to identify their values;
Whereas studies like the one published by the International
Journal of Mental Health Systems in 2019 have shown that
religious education can be ``instrumental to improving
adolescent mental health'' by helping children learn how to
make decisions based on morals, promoting less risky choices,
and encouraging connectedness within a community, which can
enhance self-esteem and well-being;
Whereas religious education fosters respect for other
religious groups and individuals generally by acknowledging a
source for human dignity and worth;
Whereas the United States Supreme Court found in Pierce v.
Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925) that the state does
not have power ``to standardize its children by forcing them
to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is
not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and
direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high
duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional
obligations.'';
Whereas religious instruction can come from a variety of
sources, including sectarian schools and released time
programs;
Whereas, according to the National Center for Education
Statistics, in 2015, 4,350,000 children in the United States
attended sectarian elementary and secondary schools where
those children received religious education; and
Whereas the United States Supreme Court held in Zorach v.
Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952) that State statutes providing
for the release of public school students from school to
attend religious classes are constitutional, and, as a
result, an estimated 540,000 public school students in the
United States take advantage of released time programs each
year: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) affirms the importance of religious education in the
civic and moral development of the people of the United
States;
(2) celebrates the schools and organizations that are
engaged in religious instruction of the children of the
United States to aid those children in intellectual, ethical,
moral, and civic development;
(3) calls on each of the 50 States, each territory, and the
District of Columbia to accommodate individuals who wish to
be released from public school attendance to attend religious
classes; and
(4) designates the week of September 27, 2020, through
October 3, 2020, as ``Religious Education Week''.
____________________
