Many organizations are actively involved in the struggle about religion in the schools. The conservative Republicans, led by Newt Gingrich, want a constitutional amendment to return prayer to the public schools. AThis is monumental -- it=s the first time in 27 years that the issue of voluntary school prayer will make it to the floor,@ said Christian Coalition Executive Director Randy Tade. AChristian Coalition has led the charge in this since it began, and it has not wavered in its efforts to persuade Congress to adopt this amendment. Over past three decades the Supreme Court has steadily suppressed religious speech, using the First Amendment to defend censorship. But the people of faith will have the last word, and they will not be silenced.@ AA constitutional amendment is unnecessary,@ Said Rust-Tierney, Associate Director of the ACLU=s National Washington Office. AWe remain confident that the broad cross-section of religious organizations that oppose this effort will ultimately prevail.@ Those groups include the National Council of Churches, the American Jewish Congress and the Joint Baptists Conference. The ACLU termed the proposal a dangerous attempt to alter one of the nation=s most fundamental principles. AIn truth,@ Rust-Tierney added, Athis proposed amendment is about permitting religious majorities to impose their beliefs and practices on minorities by using the public schools as a proselytizing platform.@ The Republicans would feel good if everybody just started praying. They are sure that the country needs religion, it does not matter which one. Nonetheless, they cannot escape the effect of the roots of historic orthodox Christianity that prevailed along the soil of this continent=s eastern seaboard over three centuries ago. Their support of the constitutional amendment permitting prayer in government schools is almost a support of the amendment acknowledging the Crown Rights of Jesus Christ the nation. The ACLU advocates recognize that if we allow prayer in government schools, some religion=s view of prayer will prevail, and that view will be orthodox Christianity. The National Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty (PEARL) condemned Religious Equality Constitutional Amendment, saying that it would undo the First Amendment=s guarantee of religious liberty. "As an organization which fights to safeguard children from intolerance and religious discrimination by assuring church-state separation in public schools, PEARL opposes this Amendment on both constitutional and educational policy grounds," said PEARL=s Executive Director, Lisa Thurau. "The Amendment would open the doors to direct government funding of religious institutions, thereby using taxpayers' money to pay for religious education and indoctrination, and entangling the administration of churches and government agencies. In the process millions of dollars would be diverted from public education and we could well end up with a national system of sectarian education. A "The amendment will also open the doors to proselytizing children in public schools. But public schools should be focused on education, not on assisting religious groups in proselytizing captive audiences of children. Parents and religious institutions are charged with that responsibility. Let's keep public schools for public education.@ American Jewish Congress claims to represent the Jewish community in opposition to school prayer. Other than the late Lubavitcher rebbe no individual and no organization in the Jewish community support prayer in public schools. This is equally true no matter whether one looks to Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or secular Jews. (Even the Lubavitcher rebbe supported only non-denominational prayer or moments of silence; not the sectarian prayers that would be permitted under the proposed religious equality amendment.) President of The Interfaith Alliance Albert Pennybacker says that it is long established that the right to private personal prayer anywhere is protected. Every citizen has a right to his or her own faith, as well as a right to be protected from coercion by those who wish to impose their faith on others. Let us avoid ill-conceived new formulas which will enable the religious purposes and sensibilities of one part of our society to coerce all the rest of us. Prayer is too personal matter to be put into hands of any government. Matters of faith are best left to families and their own, freely chosen faith communities. Let us silently pray that our leaders will understand and respect this sacred trust. Some observers suggest that House Republicans would like to raise the profile of the religious-liberty issue to help former Senator Bob DoleÕs presidential candidacy. Bob Dole favors a constitutional amendment to establish a right to school prayer. Dole has not historically made organized school prayer a top priority on his agenda. But he has tried to make his support for Òtraditional valuesÓ a key campaign issue. Congressional Republicans decided to revive debate about school prayer, figuring the issue has strong resonance with voters. Ralph Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition, told The New York Times that Mr. DoleÕs position on the issue could help define the contrast between him and Mr. Clinton. President Clinton does not support amending the US Constitution to legalize school prayer, denouncing the idea as Ainherently coercive in a nation with the amount of religious diversity we have.@ The president asserts that the Constitution already gives students great religious freedom at school. Clinton said that he supports legislation that would allow schools to have Amoments of silence@--where students could, but not be forced, to pray. School prayer would be divisive. In the years before state-supported prayer was made illegal, religious minorities were made to feel uncomfortable and excluded by mandated prayer. Jews had to either pray Christians prayers, read from Christian Bibles, or be forced to stand in the hall. Catholics resented the Protestant favor the public schools. In recent decades the number of adherents to non-Western religions has significantly increased (it is now estimated that there are more Muslims in the US than Jews). Some students have no faith in religion at all. The majority of Americans believe our country is in a moral crisis. They think that allowing children to pray is a part of the solution to AmericaÕs problems. Contrary to common assumption, there is no evidence that school prayer improves American morality. Pre-World War II Germany is an illustration of this point. In the years before and after Hitler, German school children were required to say a prayer every morning, and received religious instruction every week in public schools (Catholics, Protestants, and Jews were separated into groups). Despite this trainings Germany still opted for Nazism and still implemented the final solution. School prayer did not stop public evil in Germany. Neither will it do so in the United States.