Since the passage of the Sedition Act in 1798, Congress has passed, during periods of grave national danger, legislation which appears to violate the first amendment. How the courts can justify these laws is the focus of case studies which can be used in secondary U.S. history classes. (RM)

Talking about religion in public middle schools has moved from taboo to necessity during the past few years. Although some middle schoolers hold knowledge of their own religion, most remain uninformed about any of the world's religions, including, for many, their own. The purpose of this article is to make the case for religious literacy--the…