ABSTRACT

One of the most remarked-upon phenomena in American politics is the growing influence of the Christian right. In this chapter we examine the Christian right’s political influence on K-12 education. We pose several questions. First, is the political influence of religious groups on education a new development in American history? We shall argue that religious influences on public education were prevalent in both the 19th and 20th centuries. Although religious influences on public education were muted after World War II, during the 1970s religious groups reemerged as important political actors. We suggest that this historical interpretation sheds light on the significance of the Christian right as a political movement and its potential for transforming K-12 education. Accordingly, in the first section of this chapter we undertake an historical survey of the ways conservative religious groups from the mid-19th century forward have attempted to affect federal, state, and local policy.