    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [December 18, 1999]
    [Pages 2322-2323]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    December 18, 1999

        Good morning. The holiday season is a time when America's remarkable
    religious diversity shines brightest in so many homes and different
    places of worship and schools. Today I want to talk to you about the
    role of faith in our lives, in all of our religious diversity, and,
    particularly, in the education of our children.
        America's Founders were men and women of faith, many of whom fled
    oppression overseas to find freedom on our shores. They believed the
    best way to protect religious liberty was to guarantee, first of all,
    the right to practice religion by the dictates of their own conscience;
    and second, to forbid our Government from imposing or establishing any
    religious belief. In their wisdom, they enshrined these two principles
    in our Constitution.
        But of course, reconciling these principles has not always been
    easy, especially when it comes to our education system. Finding the
    proper place for faith in our schools is a complex and emotional matter
    for many Americans. But I have never believed the Constitution required
    our schools to be religion-free zones or that our children must check
    their faiths at the schoolhouse door.
        Americans expect our schools to teach our children the knowledge and
    skills they need to succeed in life. We also trust our schools to
    strengthen the moral foundation of our society, to reinforce the values
    taught at home and in our communities.
        Studies show that children involved in religious activities are less
    likely to use drugs. Experience tells us they're more likely to stay out
    of trouble. Common sense says that faith and faith-based organizations
    from all religious backgrounds can play an important role in helping
    children to reach their fullest potential. That's why I've always
    supported individual students' rights to voluntarily practice religious
    beliefs, including prayer in school or to engage in religious activities
    on school grounds, but not to have any kind of enforced such activities.
        Now, in 1995 our administration released a set of principles for
    protecting religious freedom in our public schools. We did so in
    response to parents and educators who asked for help in knowing what
    kinds of religious activities are permissible in public schools and what
    is not permissible. They asked for help in respecting the rights and
    beliefs of all students, from the most observant from all religious
    backgrounds to those who choose freely, as is their right, to completely
    abstain from any religious activity.
        Those guidelines we issued make it clear that students do have the
    right to pray privately and individually in school, the right to say
    grace at lunch, the right to meet in religious groups on school grounds
    and to use school facilities just like any other groups do. They have
    the right to read the Bible or other religious books during study hall
    or free class time and the right to be free from coercion to participate
    in religious activity of any kind. Now, since we first issued those
    guidelines, appropriate religious activity has flourished in our schools
    and continuing in our country. Today I'm announcing the release

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    of expanded guidelines, more practical help for teachers and principals,
    for parents and students, for the whole community. Guidelines like this
    will help teachers better understand how to teach about religions and
    help faith-based organizations join the effort to improve public
    education.
        Across America, schools and faith-based organizations are telling us
    they want to build new and effective partnerships, like the large number
    of faith-based groups involved in America Reads or the Shiloh Baptist-
    Seaton Elementary School partnership, which offers after-school
    activities here in Washington, DC. Faith-based organizations in schools,
    though different in many ways, do often share important goals: expanding
    opportunities to learn, lifting children's lives. Our new guidelines
    will help them work together on common ground to meet constitutional
    muster, to avoid making students uncomfortable because they come from
    different religious traditions, while helping students make the most of
    their God-given talents. These guidelines also tell us that a consensus
    is emerging among educators and religious leaders and among defenders of
    the first amendment. So many of them have endorsed our efforts. Their
    voices echo the words of George Washington who said that Americans have,
    and I quote, ``abundant reason to rejoice, that in this land every
    person may worship God according to the dictates of his own heart.''
        Today, as we count the days down to the end of the 20th century and
    the beginning of the 21st, we know that this fundamental and precious
    liberty is still strong. We are determined that it will remain so, not
    just for our own children but for generations yet to come.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Oval Office at the
    White House.