(Fresno, Calif., April 13, 2002) --- When Dr. James Dobson, of Focus on the Family, urged California parents to withdraw their children from the state's public schools, the Alliance for the Separation of School and State was a grateful benefactor. Dr. Dobson's broadcast, heard by 200 million people daily in over 100 countries, sparked latent interest among concerned parents seeking an end to government-controlled schooling.

New signers of the Alliance's Internet-based "Proclamation for the Separation of School and State" increased from an average of five per day to over 100 per day in the week following Dobson's bold comments on his radio broadcast on March 28 when he said: "In the state of California, if I had a child there, I wouldn't put the youngster in a public school.... I think it's time to get our kids out. And I 'm going to get hit for [saying] that."

When Dr. Laura said on her April 9 broadcast, "I stand with Dr. James Dobson: Take your kids out of public schools," she went even beyond Dr. Dobson, who had limited his comments to California. On the same day, popular Christian talk show host Marlon Maddoux also gave his support to Dr. Dobson.

"Our mission is to re-establish parental control of education by reducing or eliminating the government control which has led to propaganda masquerading as education," said Alliance president Marshall Fritz.

Evangelical Protestant Reverend E. Ray Moore, founder of ExodusMandate.org, and longtime supporter of the Alliance, reacted to Dobson's remarks by saying, "This could be one of the most important broadcasts Dr. Dobson has ever made. I know people are writing him from around the country urging him to sound the warning that public schools are dangerous to the faith and morals of Christian children in their states, too, maybe almost as bad as California."

The Alliance for the Separation of School and State was founded in 1994 by parents, educators, and others to inform people how education can be improved by removing politics from education. The Alliance crosses nearly all political and religious boundaries. Members and supporters believe that politics and education don't mix and wish to liberate K-12 schools from state, local, and federal government control.

The Proclamation's signers include Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza; Prof. Thomas Szasz, author of "The Myth of Mental Illness;" 1991 New York State Teacher of the Year, John Taylor Gatto; home school leader Mary Pride; Cato Institute President Edward Crane; Conservative Caucus founder Howard Phillips; Minority Leader of the Colorado State Senate, John K. Andrews, Jr.; and religious leaders Dr. D. James Kennedy, Dr. Tim LaHaye, Brig Gen T.C. Pinckney, USAF ret., 2nd VP of the Southern Baptist Convention, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, and the late Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

The Proclamation can be signed via the Internet at www.sepschool.org. More information, including a complete list of proclamation signers, can be found at that website. Or contact Marshall Fritz, Alliance for the Separation of School & State, 4546 E Ashlan #3282, Fresno, CA 93726; or telephone (559) 292-1776.