what is it and should it be taught in the public schools?

I believe that a piece of music can be categorized as sacred if it has any reference to religion and/or a religious belief.
I believe that sacred music should be taugh in the public school district. That being said, I agree that when in this setting, it should be ONLY used a performance purposes or as a way of teaching the culture and history of the era in which the music has spawned from. As one article in which my fearless seminar leader handed out, the author from MENC was quoted saying "if it is possible to study communism without indoctination or to examine the ills of contemporary society without promoting the seeds of revolution, then it must also be possible to study sacred music (with performance-related activities) without parochialistic attitudes and sectarian points of view (from sacred music in schools)". I agree with this quote!