Faith and Religion in School
Religion in the classroom is always a hot topic.
As an educator, you can’t help but feel the heat
from this issue. Religion doesn’t get left at the
doors of our public schools. It enters our
classrooms through the students, teachers and even
the curriculum.
Where to draw the line
As an educator, you must look to constitutional
principles and interpretation to guide your reactions to
religion in your classroom. Finding the proper place for
religion in our schools isn’t really as hard as it
sometimes seems from stories in the media and the numerous
high-profile court cases on the subject.
The Constitution does not require that religion be
ignored or prohibited in the classroom. It does require
that government, and therefore, public school employees,
maintain neutrality toward the various religions while
carrying out their employment duties. Not only must the
school and its employees avoid endorsing any particular
religion, but they must also guard against actions that could be
misunderstood by schoolchildren as endorsements of
particular religious beliefs.
To avoid endorsing a religion, you don’t have to ignore
it. You can study religion—from an academic perspective—in
a public school classroom. The following pairs of words
are illustrative of where you should draw the line between
what can and cannot happen in a classroom so as to maintain an
appropriate place for religion: academic vs. devotional;
awareness vs. acceptance; study vs. practice; expose vs.
impose; educate vs. denigrate; inform vs. conform.
Keep in mind that while it would be legally permissible
to end an American geography lesson by saying that Texas
is the greatest state in the country, it would not be
legal to end a survey of the world’s religions with a
similar statement about any one religion.
Maintaining your neutrality regarding religion is just
as important in other activities and areas of the school
as it is in the classroom. While students are allowed to
gather at school to pray together or talk about their
faith with fellow students, school employees should not
assist, participate or interfere with these activities,
except to enforce rules that would be generally applicable
to any discussion or gathering of students.
School employees also shouldn’t lead students in prayer
or join them in any way other than as monitors for safety
purposes. They also shouldn’t sponsor religious clubs at
school.
When students bring religion into the classroom by
incorporating their beliefs into assigned schoolwork,
sticky situations can arise. It’s best to follow the
guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education, which
say “Students may express their beliefs about religion ...
free of discrimination based on the religious content.”
Such work should be judged “by ordinary academic standards
of substance and relevance, and against other legitimate
pedagogical concerns identified by the school.”
Educators’ own beliefs
School employees’ personal religious beliefs will, of
course, also come with them to school. As a school
employee, you can wear religious symbols, but you should
refrain from wearing anything with a proselytizing
message. You can also engage in religious activities at
school as long as they do not interfere with the
performance of your employment duties and are done
unobtrusively and out of the presence of students.
You can answer students’ questions about your personal
beliefs if you choose, but you should clearly communicate
to them that they are your personal beliefs, separate from
the position of the school. The age and maturity levels of
the students are critical to determining the appropriate
way to answer such questions.
___________________________
The legal information provided on this Web site is for general purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for
individual legal advice or the provision of legal services. Accessing this information does not create an
attorney-client relationship. Individual legal situations vary greatly and readers should consult directly with an
attorney. Eligible ATPE members should contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department using our
online system, MLSIS.
Back to top
|
