text: "Except that was NEVER the case."
  
  You might be right about that. I went to Catholic school for most of my upbringing, so it was a daily occurrence to have forced prayer.
  
  But what about Gideon Bibles?  They had a decades long association with Canadian public schools that opened up those schools for distribution of little bibles at a set grade level. Initially, those bible distributions were mandatory for any kids in the school systems that partnered with Gideon, and it was only with significant parental pressure that it was reduced over time to parental opt-in, and then eventually phased right out of the school day and made an annual event that occurred after school ended for the day. Part of why that practice ended was the growing public realization that even allowing time in the school day and use of school spaces for it to happen meant that the public tax dollar was being used to support private religious aims.
  
  Even an unused room represents public tax dollars, right?