Madam, - Prof William Reville (Science Today, September 21st) is wrong to claim that the US constitution forbids teaching religion in schools. On the contrary, the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and, as a consequence, for some two centuries denominational schools, inculcating religious values, have flourished there.
Bill Clinton, though a Baptist, went to a Catholic primary school, and to the prestigious, Jesuit-run, Georgetown University.
The US Constitution does forbid the public endowment of any religion, and the courts have interpreted this to mean that religious foundations, even when teaching art, chemistry, mathematics and physics, do not receive a cent from federal, state, or city funds.
All publicly funded establishments are forbidden to teach religion. - Yours, etc,
DONAL KENNEDY,
Belmont Avenue,
London N13.