Interpretation of the establishment clause of the Constitution and its application to statutes challenged by the United States Supreme Court has followed two distinct paths--one embracing the principle of separation of church and state, the other stressing the importance of accommodation between them. Both legal trends are discussed. (TE)

This paper reviews First Amendment federal court cases pertaining to religion in schools, suggesting that the findings reveal a judiciary uncertain of where to strike a balance between the interests of the majority and the rights of the minority. The first area discussed is public aid to private schools. The cases covered in this discussion…

This is the seventh in a series of Educational Research Service (ERS) monographs designed to summarize judicial decisions on elementary and secondary education issues by state and federal courts. These cases, dating from June 30, 1983 to June 30, 1984, were selected on the basis of their relevance to contemporary problems in public schools, their…