Show Religion Taught au In Public Schools Is Charged A charge that religion Is being t taught in the schools of the Jordan district is made by Mrs E. E S. S Smith of Union She alleges that religion classes are being held In many of the schools of the district each week immediately following regular class work the pupils remaining In hi their respective rooms W. W W W. Wilson president of the Jordan school district said that he heard reports that such classes classes' were being held at Union but that he had no rib nb personal knowledge that the reports were true The board of at education received a request to hold such classes and the matter was referred to the boards board's attorney ho he said Our counsel thought that it would not be legal for the board to grant the application ap- ap application ap and it has never neTer given Its permission Investigation Promised I If Smiths Smith's complaint is well founded I have no doubt that the board will prohibit the practice The complaint will be discussed at the next next meeting of the board on aD April 12 I will inv investigate the charge made by Mrs Smith and report my findings at the board meeting on April 12 said D. D C. C Jensen superintendent superintendent superintendent super super- of the Jordan school district dis dIs- If such classes are being held they are conducted without my knowledge and arid without sanction oi of the board of education Persons familiar with the situation situation situation situa situa- tion hold the opinion that the question question question ques ques- tion of or whether religion can be taught in the public schools will be settled finally only by ruling of ot the courts Mrs Smiths Smith's letter follows As a taxpayer and a patron of the Jordan school district I 1 am taking taking tak takA ing this method of voicing Toi a protest protest protest pro pro- test against the It teaching achin of religion in our public schools I had thought that this matter had been settled nettled amicably long since and that now the church and state were distinct but evidently such is not the ca case Legal Right Questioned I 1 many of the schools of our district district district dis dis- dis- dis religion classes are held weekly week week- ly immediately following re regular class work the pupils remaining IB la U their respective rooms and the grade teachers conducting the classes These classes are designated U as JB junior Jun jun- Junior junior seminary classes classee Now we all expect that religion shall hall bo be taught in our churches Sunday schools et cetera but when It comes conies to thrusting sectarian propaganda upon us In our public schools ones one's tolerance is somewhat overtaxed Furthermore I believe the teaching teaching teach teach- ing of religion in our public school la is contrary to the law of the state therefore it Is la surprising that a a school superintendent would permit and sanction such a course of ac Lion tion The state constitution pays particular particular par lIar attention to the subject of religion re religion re- re ligion lilon in Utah It first touches on itin it itIn itIn In article 1 section 4 which reads read in part I No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship exercise or Instruction or for the support of any ecclesiastical establishment Article Irrevocable cable Article 3 is entitled Ordinance and rind In accord with provisions of at section 3 of the enabling enah act provides pro pro- vides Tides that the following ordinances shall be Irrevocable without the consent consent con con- sent of the United States and the people of this state There are four provisions of such ordinance the first and fourth of which say in part First Perfect First Perfect toleration of religious religious religious re re- sentiment Is guaranteed No Inhabitant of this state shall ever be molested in person verson or property on account of his or her mode of religIous ious worship Fourth The Fourth The legislature shall make laws for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools which shall be open alien to all the children of or the state and be befree befree free Cree from sectarian control Article 10 deals with education and ind section 1 reads The legislature shall provide for forthe forthe forthe the establishment and maintenance of a uniform system of ot public schools which shall be open to all children ildren of the state and be free tree from sectarian control Old Ruling fluting Repented Repeated The Tho state school office still said Dr C. C N. N Jensen state superintendent sut superintendent erin erin- of public instruction stands squarely behind the position on this thle matter taken by A. A C. C Nelson state slate superintendent of public instruction about twenty years ago His ruling on this subject still sUlI stands and is sent to the various school districts or others who may Inquire of this office office of of- fice on the tho subject as aa still the rule In this regard The Inquiries still keep coming comin Just as they came to Mr Nelson when he was in charge of the tho school system of the state for many years Mr Mr Nelsons Nelson's letter is carried in the biennial report for 1903 and 1904 and is repeated In the succeeding biennial ret report ort It w was s addressed to the school superintendents and school bards of Utah and reads Gentlemen For some time past this office has been almost constantly constant constant- ly In receipt of at letters from citizens in different parts of the state protesting pro pro- protesting testing against the use of or public school buildings for religion class purposes In order to ascertain with certainty th the prevalence of this use of at the public buildings letters of at inquiry were sent from this of- of teacher of the religion classes Practice Prohibited flee to all of the county and city school superintendents Tho The replies received convey the information First that the religion classes are conducted in a large number of public school houses throughout the state Second that these religion classes class class- es are held heldi immediately after the tho close of the school and from further Information it is found that not In Infrequently infrequently infrequently in- in frequently the regularly employed teacher of the school is also the Permit me to call your attention to section 1 I article 10 of the tho constitution constitution constitution con con- of or the state of Utah It reads as aa follows shall for forthe forthe The legislature provide 1 the establishment ana una maintenance i of a uniform system of public i schools which shall be bo open alien to all children of the state and be free from sectarian control Section 1848 of or the revised statutes statutes statutes stat stat- utes of Utah 1898 is also pertinent to the question at hand It says say a No atheistic infidel sectarian religious religious re re- re or denominational doctrine shall be taught in any of the district schools of this state Moral instruction instruction instruction tion tending to Impress upon the minds of the pupils the Importance of or good manners truthfulness temperance temperance temperance tem tem- perance purity patriotism and industry In Industry In in- shall be given in to D every district dis- dis school and all SUCh schools shall be free from sectarian contra con con- tra It Is evident that both the founders found found- f ers of or the state constitution and tho the which enacted the foregoing foregoing fore fore- I going statute intended the tile public schools of Utah to be free treo from sec- sec tartan arlan influences as aa well Vell as from the I influences of atheism and Infidelity I J JJ 1 I II J JI I |