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government institutions that employ 3 million workers, train 50 million students, and offer diplomas to the students who complete the 12th grade and meet the requirements of the school and state in which they reside.  Spoken [[prayer]], the [[Ten Commandments]], and sharing of [[faith]] are expressly forbidden in public schools' classrooms during school hours, and teaching of [[morality]] is implicitly disfavored.<ref>''See, e.g.'', ''[[Stone v. Graham]]'' (1980) (excluding Ten Commandments from public school).</ref><ref>A public school banned [[Bible]] study by children ... ''during recess''. A teacher complained about the use of the Bible and the principle then censored the study activity, according to a sworn statement by a teacher told to stop it.  [http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/03/recess-bible-study-spurs-lawsuit/]</ref> In the [[United Kingdom]], however, the term "public school" means the exact opposite of its American usage, and refers to the most expensive and prestigious ''private'' schools, such as [[Eton College]], [[Harrow]], and a few others.

government institutions that employ 3 million workers, train 50 million students, and offer diplomas to the students who complete the 12th grade and meet the requirements of the school and state in which they reside.  Spoken [[prayer]], the [[Ten Commandments]], and sharing of [[faith]] are expressly forbidden in public schools' classrooms during school hours, and teaching of [[morality]] is implicitly disfavored.<ref>''See, e.g.'', ''[[Stone v. Graham]]'' (1980) (excluding Ten Commandments from public school).</ref><ref>A public school banned [[Bible]] study by children ... ''during recess''. A teacher complained about the use of the Bible and the principle then censored the study activity, according to a sworn statement by a teacher told to stop it.  [http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/03/recess-bible-study-spurs-lawsuit/]</ref> In the [[United Kingdom]], however, the term "public school" means the exact opposite of its American usage, and refers to the most expensive and prestigious ''private'' schools, such as [[Eton College]], [[Harrow]], and a few others.

Among [[public school]] students in the [[United States]], 30% fail to graduate and nearly 70% are unqualified to go onto college.  "Only 70% of all students in public high schools graduate, and only 32% of all students leave high school qualified to attend four-year colleges."<ref>http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ewp_03.htm</ref>  "Nationally, about 160,000 students miss school daily because they [[fear]] being [[Bully|bullied]]," and in [[Hawaii]] students viciously fight each other and post videos of it on [[YouTube|Youtube.com]]. One victim is now "being [[homeschooled]] at state expense."<ref>http://starbulletin.com/2008/05/18/news/story01.html</ref>

Here are key statistics on [[public schools]] in America:

Drug abuse is rampant in public schools. "In 1991, 62 percent [of 8th through 12th graders] had used illicit drugs. In 2007, the number jumped to 77 percent."<ref>http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20081207/NEWS08/812070305/1002</ref> Fatal overdoses are common, although often underreported.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E5DB123EF932A25750C0A9629C8B63 Reporting of a heroin overdose by 16-year-old [[public school]] student was an exception to the underreporting].</ref>

*30% fail to graduate<ref name="graduate">"Only 70% of all students in public high schools graduate, and only 32% of all students leave high school qualified to attend four-year colleges."[http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ewp_03.htm]</ref>

 

In a typical public school, over 10% of the girls become pregnant.  About half have [[abortion]]s, and about half give birth. "There is zero shame" to teenage pregnancy at public school, the school nurse observed.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203507.html</ref>

*77% do illegal drugs, and fatal overdoses are common but underreported<ref>"In 1991, 62 percent [of 8th through 12th graders] had used illicit drugs. In 2007, the number jumped to 77 percent."[http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20081207/NEWS08/812070305/1002] Fatal overdoses are common, although often underreported.[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E5DB123EF932A25750C0A9629C8B63 Reporting of a heroin overdose by 16-year-old [[public school]] student was an exception to the underreporting].</ref>

*about 10% of the girls become pregnant in a typical school; about half have [[abortion]]s, and about half give birth.<ref>"There is zero shame" to teenage pregnancy at public school, the school nurse observed.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203507.html]</ref>

*about 10% become addicted to cigarettes<ref>http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/dec/01/memphis-youth-make-progress-on-risky-behavior/</ref>

In response to the perception that schools have stopped teaching morality, many state education departments have or are in the process of developing "morality" that avoid good and evil, right and wrong, and instead present under the heading of "character" education.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3971/is_199910/ai_n8866284]</ref>  The lack of appreciation for right and wrong can surprise outsiders, and even school principals.  When one public school student was charged with [[felony]] [[computer crime]] for altering the grades of 20 students, the principal said, we "want to teach them what's right and wrong, and it's tough for some kids to catch on to the idea that changing grades is the wrong thing to do."<ref>http://cw2.trb.com/news/kwgn-student-grade-felony,0,7871401.story</ref>

In response to the perception that schools have stopped teaching morality, many state education departments have or are in the process of developing "morality" that avoid good and evil, right and wrong, and instead present under the heading of "character" education.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3971/is_199910/ai_n8866284]</ref>  The lack of appreciation for right and wrong can surprise outsiders, and even school principals.  When one public school student was charged with [[felony]] [[computer crime]] for altering the grades of 20 students, the principal said, we "want to teach them what's right and wrong, and it's tough for some kids to catch on to the idea that changing grades is the wrong thing to do."<ref>http://cw2.trb.com/news/kwgn-student-grade-felony,0,7871401.story</ref>