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When it comes times for public school graduates to march up the aisle to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance," the venue for the ceremony becomes an issue. Many high schools do not boast a large enough gymnasium or auditorium to house a significant number of graduates and family members, and outdoor stadiums are always vulnerable to stormy weather. Public venues, like professional arenas, can be quite costly to rent, leading some schools to look for affordable alternatives within the community.

In some cities, the apparent solution has been to hold graduation ceremonies in large church buildings, and pastors have been more than happy to offer their spaces to neighboring schools. However, public school graduations in churches have raised questions across the country about the separation of church and state. In fact, some schools have actually found themselves in the midst of court proceedings as a result of inadvertently combining religion with public education.

This video looks at the issue of separation of church and state in our public schools.

A Fight at First Cathedral

First Cathedral, a non-denominational megachurch in Connecticut had opened its doors to no less than five high school graduations in previous years, according to an article in . The expansive church was chosen by the schools both for comfort and affordability.

However, not all the students and parents were comfortable holding a graduation ceremony in

Public school curriculum is becoming a national hot topic of debate. From ethnic studies in Arizona to American history in Texas, major changes are being made to public school curricula.

The State Board of Education in Texas recently approved a new social studies curriculum that will be introduced during the next school year. Educators will spend the year getting trained on how to teach the new curriculum, which will be used in classrooms beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. The discussion over the seemingly religion-based revisions began in January and has been the source of intense international attention and comment, according to an update on the website.

What the Curriculum Includes

The revised curriculum, dubbed the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, will paint American history in a rather different light, with a definitive Christian, conservative slant. While the cited more than 100 amendments that have been passed on the curriculum since discussions began in January, the and the Texas Education Agency list some of the major themes of the curriculum, which will include:

• Comparing the inaugural addresses of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis
• Examining why the Founding Fathers protected religious freedom and relating their intentions to the phrase "separation of church and state."
• Downplaying Thomas Jefferson's role in the creation of our country (Jefferson was just one of the founding fathers who was not a professing Christian)
• Giving more attention to President Reagan and his

Arizona has made national headlines not once, but twice, in the last few weeks. First, the state was the subject of numerous protests over an immigration law that allows police to require documentation from any individual stopped in the state for another violation. Opponents of the bill are concerned that recent decisions will lead to racial profiling in the state.

More recently, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed in elementary and secondary schools. Once again, her decision has raised the ire of many, including . However, proponents of the bill state that the ban will actually improve race relations among the various cultures living in Arizona, rather than deepening any divide that may exist.

This video from PBS discusses the issue.

Step Two: Ethnic Studies in Schools

Currently, Arizona schools offer a number of different ethnic studies programs, including specialized courses for African-American, Mexican-American, and Native American classes that teach subjects such as history and literature that originate from those cultures. The studies are designed to explore the role of various ethnicities in American history and their contributions to literature.

An article on cites one portion of the bill, which reads, "Public school pupils should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people." Brewer

Forget Adam and Eve or sex education. The latest curriculum controversy surrounds global warming. In fact, South Dakota’s legislature recently passed a resolution that called for the “balanced teaching of global warming.” Global warming, the resolution states, is “a scientific theory rather than a proven fact.”

Some States Mandate That “Both Sides” of Global Warming be Addressed

According to the , South Dakota is not the only state to have introduced legislation addressing the question of how global warming should be taught in schools. Among the other states that have taken or are considering such steps include:

• Texas - The Texas Board of Education declared in 2009 that public school teachers must present both sides when discussing global warming and evolution.
• Kentucky – A bill recently introduced in the Kentucky legislature encourages teachers to discuss “the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories,” as the Times reports, including “evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning.”
• Louisiana – Louisiana’s state legislature passed a law in 2008 that says that the state board of education “may assist teachers in promoting ‘critical thinking’” on subjects such as evolution and global warming, according to the Times.

This video from PBS looks at attempts to rein in climate change education.

Why Global Warming and Evolution Are Linked Together

Legislators may be using the question of whether global warming should be taught as a

In the past decade, public awareness of our planet’s natural resources has grown, and with that understanding has come to a movement in living in environmentally sustainable “green” ways. While just a few decades ago recycling was a fringe activity, today it is a widespread practice. Hybrid vehicles have gone from fantasy to reality.

As national interest in living sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyles continues to grow, a number of public schools are joining the green movement, designing green curricula for students at all levels. In fact, some charter schools are now based around the ideals of green living.

This TED Talk discusses teaching sustainability in schools.

Green Charter Schools

The reports that across the country, public charter schools that are based around a “green” theme have been springing up. The Green Charter Schools Network, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, says it has counted about 200 green charter schools nationwide, according to the Times. These green charter schools serve several purposes that both benefit the earth and their students’ futures.

Preparing Students for Work in the Sustainable Energy Industry

Some charter schools focus on technical skills that will prepare students to find work in the “green collar” jobs that are frequently touted as a part of a growth industry.

The mentions Manhattan’s Urban Assembly School for Green Careers, which opened in