For this lesson we were given material that we were required to review to answer questions over. We had to later give our opinion on the religion issue. We had to end up researching a questions that related to our lesson.
EDUC 2110 – Lesson 11 – Religion in Schools
Evaluation
In the Susan Black article, what are some examples of “unconstitutional instruction?” Do you agree with these guidelines? Why or why not?
Some examples of the “unconstitutional instruction” are (1) Teaching about religion from a Christian perspective without regard for other faiths. (2) Requiring students to define their personal relationship to God and Jesus. (3) Asking students to use scripture to write essays about “God’s Directions for Righteous Living,” “God’s Plan for the Family,” and “Living a Victorious Life in the World Which is So Dark.” (4) Assigning students to memorize Bible verses.
The “unconstitutional instruction” is pretty interesting, mainly because I’ve never heard of Bible History Classes in public schools. Although I am a Christian, I don’t think that Bible History Classes should be an actual class that teachers teach students in the public school system. (1) Teachers don’t need to just assume that all of the students attending are Christians. If there are Bible classes, the students who aren’t Christians will be expecting a class for them to take that’s not pertaining to the Bible. I think that if students want a Bible History class, then the students should hold one themselves. However, I do not find anything wrong with a teacher wanting to stick to his or her beliefs on Christianity, but they do need to respect a students’ belief system if it happens to be different than their own.
In the Susan Black article, what is legally permissible with respect to teaching about religion?
According to “Federal Guidelines for Religious Expression in Public Schools,” teachers may use Bible or other scriptures in lessons about religion. Teachers may cover topics about the history of religion, and the impact of religion in which it has on art, music, and literature. Teachers may also teach about religious holidays, and celebrate the aspects of holidays with their students, but not as a religion. Because students are now allowed to express their personal beliefs about religion in assignments, teachers are to grade their students work on academics, not devotion.
In the Lottie Joiner article, what four points of guidance do court decisions have with respect to the teaching of evolution?
There were four court cases that were mentioned in this article where the Supreme Court made decisions pertaining to evolution in schools. In 1968, the Supreme Court overturned state laws when Arkansas refused to teach evolution in schools. In 1987, the court ruled a Louisiana law unconstitutional because it required evolution and creationism equal times in the classroom and that violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Another case involved a science teacher from Minnesota, Rodney LeVake. LeVake questioned the principles of the evolution theory. LeVake didn’t want to teach anything pertaining to creationism or God in his classroom, yet wanted to tell students the “flaws” in the evolution theory. The Supreme Court refused to hear his case. LeVake wanted to offer students “an honest look at the difficulties and inconsistencies of the theory without turning my class into a religious one.” In 1987, the Louisiana case, Edwards v. Aguillard, the Supreme Court ruled “teaching a variety of scientific theories about the origins of mankind to school-children might be validly done with the clear secular intent of enhancing the effectiveness of science instruction.”
Brett Chapman, the founder and president of the Discovery Institute, says “Overwhelmingly, our primary objective is for students to be allowed to learn the scientific evidence against Darwin’s theory as well as for it. Darwin’s theory is flawed; that’s the issue. It has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do with science.”
From reading about all of the court cases and the Supreme Court’s decisions, I believe that the court is for teaching evolution in all schools. They don’t want a teacher to refuse it.
How do you believe the issue of evolution versus intelligent design should be handled in the public school system? Provide some reasons for your position.
Evolution is a theory where it says life evolved from natural selection, whereas intelligent design is centered on a belief that a “designer” is behind it all. Because intelligent design has a “designer”, most people recognize that “designer” as God, in which now intelligent design could become a religious thing. In my opinion, evolution and intelligent design should both be taught without the teacher’s opinion. It should be taught out of knowledge of the subject, not based on judgement.
Summary
I thought this lesson was interesting. The religion in schools always catches my attention. Although I am a Christian myself, I believe that students are entitled to their own opinion on subjects as such. I believe that teachers can teach on religions other than their own and still be strong in their faith. Just because they have to teach the required material, doesn’t mean that they have to believe in it too.
Research Question
What are the current laws in public schools on religion?
Reference(s): http://www.aclu.org/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools
Research Analysis
This website gives the current “religion-free zones” in public school systems. I will name them and give a brief description.
Student Prayers
Students have the right to pray or discuss their religious views with their peers as long as they aren’t disruptive. Students are allowed to pray quietly during any school activities unless they are required to be engaged. Students who want to pray or discuss their religious views cannot force others to participate.
Graduation Prayer and Baccalaureates
School officials aren’t allowed to organize any religious activities at graduation or for a religious baccalaureate ceremony. Schools are allowed to rent out their facilities to any private group but only on a first come first served basis.
Official Participation or Encouragement of Religious Activity
School officials aren’t allowed to participate in school related religious activities that are held by students, but are allowed to engage in private religious activities in the faculty lounges.
Teachers about Religion
Teachers are supposed to teach religion, but may not religion.
Student Assignments and Religion
Students are allowed to use their religious beliefs in their school assignments and teachers cannot correct their beliefs, only their academic structure.
Distribution of Religious Literature
Students have the right to distribute religious handouts to their classmates around their schools. Outsiders are not to be given access to classrooms to talk about religion to students.
“See You at the Pole”
Participation in religious activities before or after schools is acceptable. The teachers who attend aren’t to discourage or encourage participation.
Religious Persuasion versus Religious Harassment
Students are allowed to try and persuade their peers into their religious beliefs, but teachers should step in to stop students if their religious speech turns into a religious harassment.
Equal Access Act
Students who are a part of a religious club in secondary schools, they must be permitted to meet and have equal access to any school media to announce anything necessary for their meetings.
Religious Holidays
Teachers may teach about religious holidays, and celebrate such holidays, but may not observe the holidays as a religious event.
Excusal From Religiously-Objectionable Lessons
If students are objectionable to a lesson because of his or her religion, the school must excuse that student from that particular lesson.
Teaching Values
Schools may teach students about good manner, such as: honesty, good citizenship, sportsmanship, courage, respect for the rights and freedoms of others, respect for persons and their property, civility, the dual virtues of moral conviction and tolerance and hard work.
Student Garb
Students may wear religious attire and cannot be singled out because of it.
Released Time
Schools have the option to dismiss students to off-premises for religious activities.
Research Summary
I’m glad I researched the religious laws in public schools today. I feel like they change quickly and no one is able to keep up with the laws.