Religion has shaped our history; students need to learn how!

ASHLAND, Ohio—It’s easy to understand why discussions of religion make some people uncomfortable, no matter where the discussions take place. That’s no reason to ban the topic from American classrooms, however. Many of the people who first came to America were seeking a place to freely practice their faith. The majority of our colonies at one time had official churches. Over time, the idea of religious toleration developed, where the colonies with established religions would tolerate the practice of other faiths. By the time of America’s founding, we moved beyond religious toleration to an American understanding of religious liberty, which is enshrined in our founding documents.