Curriculum, Religion, and Public Education: Conversations for Enlarging Public Square

Along the fault line of public education and conservative religious beliefs, this break-through volume explores five curriculum arenas that have been "ground zero" in community debate-science and human evolution, textbook selection, sexuality instruction, character development, and outcome-based education. Featuring contributions from prominent educational practitioners and distinguished scholars across the ideological spectrum, this compelling series of essays addresses three questions fundamental to public education in a democratic state: Is there evidence of common ground among persons with differing religious and ideological positions? Is the search for overlapping or social consensus a realistic goal within our communities? Can educators facilitate these dialogic encounters? Curriculum, Religion, and Public Education will assist educators, parents, and community leaders in crossing boundaries to communicate with "the others," and in the process transform schools-and ourselves.