ABSTRACT

This chapter traces the historic entanglements of religion and schooling in the United States and makes the claim that religions and religions in schools have ultimately failed to support and often work against democratic principles that could serve as a bulwark against neoliberalism. This chapter takes up the historic conversation surrounding the place of religion in public schools. Recent calls for the return of bible reading, controversy around religious inclusion, and religious vision of current policy leaders are reminders that religion and schooling remain vitally intertwined in American culture. The proposal of Warren Nord is challenged as an unhelpful approach in the current climate where the allegiance between neoliberal and conservative Christian thought goes unquestioned and serves to support dominant voices while continuing to silence those who have the least power.