Welcome

Citizens for Objective Public Education, Inc. (COPE) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Our mission is to promote objectivity in public school curricula that address religious questions and issues so that the educational effect of the teaching is religiously neutral.

COPE promotes the religious rights of parents, children, and taxpayers.  We support the right of parents to direct the religious education of their children. Once in the classroom, children have the right to be objectively informed about controversial explanations that impact religious beliefs, rather than be indoctrinated to accept a particular explanation. Public schools should seriously consider the exclusion of curriculum that is not age appropriate or that is not or cannot be taught objectively.

COPE has developed a model policy regarding the religious rights of parents and children in schools. We recommend that public school districts and private schools adopt this or a similar policy to ensure that their curriculum is religiously neutral.

COPE carries out its mission through policy research, education of the public and government officials, and the development of grassroots support. We review federal and state legislation, study federal and state education standards, and publish position papers. The organization may become active in promoting a variety of other initiatives and activities designed to encourage objectivity in the teaching of subject matter that touches on religion.