He received a doctorate in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998. His dissertation, Public Schooling and Its Discontents, funded by the National Science Foundation, examined the relationship of religion, schooling choices for children, and civic participation. As a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, he currently is studying the role of race and religion in shaping schooling choices for children. He is also studying the role of schools—including religious and home schools—in fostering civic participation among parents and students. Bruce Biddle