Accused Quote by Eleanor Roosevelt
“Those of us who believe in the right of any human being to belong to whatever church he sees fit, and to worship God in his own way, cannot be accused of prejudice when we do not want to see public education connected with religious control of the schools, which are paid for by taxpayers' money.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks at the National Education Association Convention, 1945
The quote argues that supporting religious freedom does not mean endorsing public schools being run by any religion, especially when funded by taxpayers.
In simple terms: Religious freedom ≠ public school control.
Key Takeaway
Separate church and state in education.
Themes
religious freedom
separation of church and state
public education
Mood
thoughtful
concerned
Type
political
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- school board decisions
- policy debates
- parental choice
- government funding
- community meetings
Key Concepts
civil liberties
taxpayer responsibility
educational policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance individual faith with collective funding?
- What safeguards ensure schools remain neutral?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that any religious influence is inevitable in culturally homogeneous societies.
![“There are only two possible forms of control: one internal and the other external; religious control and political control. They are of such a nature that when the religious barometer rises, the barometer of [external, i.e., political control] falls and likewise, when the religious barometer…” quote by Juan Donoso Cortes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0c9/juan-donoso-cortes-84258_barometer_there-are-only-two-possible-forms-of-con_2773724.jpg)
