Book excerpt: Raymond R. Roberts makes a liberal's case for teaching religion and morality in public schools by first examining the intersection of religion and public education. He shows how proposals for moral education in public schools are shaped by definitions of religion. He argues that the public education's critics overstate the failures of public education because they examine public schools in isolation from negative trends in the family, the economy, the media, etc. From there he describes how a theory of spheres of influence gives us a better perspective from which to understand public education, including its relationship with religion.