In 1990, a new ultraconservative religious group in San Diego County began an all-out war on public education. This article describes mainstream efforts to combat curriculum challenges and "stealth" board election tactics devised by Citizens for Excellence in Education and other fundamentalist factions. Meanwhile, the new CEE-majority…

The voucher plan--a proposal to give parents the right and the financial means in the form of a voucher to send their child to the public, private, or parochial school of their choice--was developed as a "model" and, necessarily, without great sensitivity to differences among local school districts. The San Francisco Unified School…

Addresses some of the concerns surrounding the controversy of religion and public education. Finds some common ground in the ethical issues shared by character education and citizenship education and the nondenominational moral teachings in religious education. Outlines four broad strategies for maintaining productive community discussions. (MJP)