UPDATE:

Members who acted on this alert have received responses from the Editor of the publication: "Thank you for writing in to Scholastic News about our September issue, The Constitution Rules! We never meant to imply that children must choose a religion. We are so sorry that the text came across that way. We really appreciate your comments, and we will definitely take them into consideration when writing future issues about the Constitution. Please feel free to write in any time; your comments help make the magazine better." Scholastic News for Kids magazine is available to all schools, public and private, as well as home schoolers. The subscription payments are eligible for Title I federal grant money funding, which made this a state/church concern. It looks like the point has been made so there is no need to take further action. Thank you to everyone that sent letters!

Action Alert! Children's Publication Misreads Constitution

Ask Scholastic News for Kids to Acknowledge Nonreligion

October 21, 2009

A member's daughter-in-law recently complained to FFRF that her son was given a Scholastic News for Kids magazine at school containing unclear information about the constitutional principle of the separation between state and church. The lines read: "The constitution says we can be any religion. We are free to choose." A child might infer that an American must choose a religion. It would be more appropriate and factual to say, "The constitution says we can be any religion, or no religion at all."

The U.S. Constitution affords all Americans, including atheists and agnostics, the right to believe or disbelieve in any religion. At a time when at least 15% of Americans identify openly as nonreligious, it would seem appropriate for a child-oriented publication, especially one distributed in public schools, to show awareness of this rapidly growing constituency of freethinkers. Children in public schools should not feel compelled to choose a religion. They must also know that they can choose no religion.

Please send a message to Scholastic News for Kids asking them to acknowledge, in their next issue, that the constitution also protects the rights of conscience of nonbelievers. You may wish to thank them for their otherwise informative publication.

Contact

Laine Falk, Editor
Scholastic News For Kids
557 Broadway
New York NY 10012
lfalk@scholastic.com
1-800-724-6527 (Phone Scholastic Customer Center)

Action Alert by Bonnie Gutsch