Overview - Symposium

The symposium is intended to provide information and promote conversation about important issues regarding our public schools and how religion and the first amendment intersect. Too often the voices are shrill and the conversation contentious when these matters are in play. One of the goals of the symposium is to provide a platform and a model for informed and civil discussion about these topics. The audience, comprised of school practitioners, academics, attorneys, school board members, community, religious, and student leaders will be invited to join the conversation with ten of the nation’s leading authorities and practitioners in this field.

Keynote Speaker – Charles Haynes
Senior Scholar of the First Amendment Center, author, and director of the Religious Freedom Education Project of the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Other nationally recognized speakers and authors participating are:

• Richard T. Foltin, Director of National and Legislative Affairs for the American Jewish Committee
• Emile Lester, Professor, University of Mary Washington
• Daniel Mach, Director, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief
• Colby May, Senior Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice
• David Scott, Director of Project PATCH, Northport School District, Long Island, New York
• Muhammad Shafiq, Executive Director of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue, Professor of Islamic and religious studies, Nazareth College and Imam of the Islamic Center of Rochester, NY
• Stephen Solomon, Professor, New York University, author of Ellery’s Protest: How One Young Man Defied Tradition and Sparked the Battle Over School Prayer
• Kathy Wildman, World Religions Teacher, Fairfax County Schools, Virginia
• Jay Worona, General Counsel, New York State School Board Association

Sunday evening will include an in depth look at the landmark Supreme Court case about school prayer and Bible reading Abington v. Schempp with New York University scholar Stephen Solomon. The Sunday evening portion of the symposium (not including dinner) is free and open to the public. Monday will include a keynote address by Charles Haynes followed by several expert panel discussions on curriculum and instruction issues and religious liberty issues.

Participants will receive a variety of texts and materials and may be eligible for up to eight hours of professional development credit. The cost of the conference is $85 ($45 for full-time students).