CH.6+resources

= = = = = = = Chapter 6 = Lisa Banavich Reaction Paper- Chapter 6 EDUC610 For the most part, I agreed with the author of Position 2: Against Violating the Separation Between Church and State. This was an interesting read for me since I went to Catholic school for twelve years. Wrapping my head around the idea of the separation of religion from education is a bit difficult!  Even though the law states that church and state must remain separate, students still retain many religious rights within school. As stated on page 148, student rights include being able to: say grace before meals, try to persuade other students about religious topics, write about their religion in homework, participate in prayerful gatherings before and after school, and much more. It sounds like that if students want to participate in religious activities or talk about their religion, then they very much have the opportunity to do so. The main focus of education is not religion of any kind, and this should not change. I think it is important to expose students to all different kinds of cultures and experiences, whether they are tied to any kind of religious observation or not. Students can still learn about different cultures, including information about their religion without a biased or small-minded point of view being presented. No culture should be shortchanged in a history book or in a social studies lesson just because a school/district/teacher doesn’t want to teach about religion or doesn’t agree with that religion’s ideas and beliefs. Teaching appropriate sex education is another reason that I believe religion and education should be kept separate. Sex education should in no way be regulated by religious groups. It is a very harsh reality that the young students of today need to learn the honest truth about the dangers of sexual activity. If religious groups are allowed to come in and dictate what it taught to these students, we could be faced with a huge amount of pregnant teens and widespread STDs- even more than we already have had in the past few years. .
 * Religion and Public Schools - Denise Alexander

Individual religious freedom is protected by the constitution. Public school personnel and school boards have eliminated all evidence of religion in an attempt to avoid accusations discrimination and the alienation of particular religious groups. As a result, public school personnel and school boards have alienated all religious groups and now appear to support at the very least an agnostic viewpoint and possibly even atheism. Students are discouraged from discussing religious issues in schools, teachers are asked not to wear religious symbols. Books related in any way to religious themes are removed from the libraries. In an attempt to avoid the establishment of a particular religion in schools, the school boards have removed all traces of religion in schools. Ironically, the modern form of education evolved from the religious schools of the colonial period. Additionally, 90% of all Americans believe in God, a statistic which indicates that the beliefs of those 90% are being suppressed in order to appease the other 10%. This viewpoint is not to advocate for the reintroduction of religious teachings in school, but rather emphasize the reintroduction of religious tolerance in schools. Students should feel welcome to bring in the Bible or the Koran for their SSR book. Teachers should educate children about religions of the world and their impact on society. Children who are Muslim should be able to bring their prayer rugs to school and pray according to their faith. As long as the practicing of a religion does not impede other students’ ability to practice their own faith, a school environment should be provided that welcomes children’s ability to practice their freedom of religion as guaranteed by the Constitution. Unfortunately, such open practices would result in many confrontations, allegations and lawsuits in schools. Parents who are uncomfortable with the exposure of their child to other religions would see this welcoming atmosphere as a slap at their religion and a potential for corruption of their child. Parents need to understand that a public school is for all the children, most of whom are part of the Judeo-Christian culture. If a parent wants their child exposed to only their own religion, they should enroll their child in a school for children of their particular religious faith. It is unrealistic for parents to think that their children will never be exposed to other religions. The main issue surrounding this topic in education is the curriculum. School boards must decide what role religion is going play in academic teachings. This is especially true with literature selections and history. Religion plays a large role in history, both American and World History. In addition, many of the authors of classical novels include religious undertones or religious topics. School boards must weigh the academic value, cultural relevance, historical facts, character education and critical thinking skills that are connected to these topics and texts. Those texts and historical events that are meaningful should be included, so long as all students have the right to evaluate the information for themselves according to their own beliefs. Kelly McCaffrey Chapter 6 Religion and Public Schools: Unification or Separation The first half of chapter 6 explains why there should be religious freedom in schools. It explains the history of religion in public schools and the court case rulings that have led to the separation of church and state. Examples such as no longer being able to pray in school or at football games, saying “God Bless You” to another person, saying, “under God” in the pledge, and celebrating holidays such as Christmas and Easter are all examples of how the law has changed the way we do things in public schools. Teachers have to be very careful. It is no longer appropriate to hang holiday decorations in the classroom and saying things like “Happy Holidays” is more politically correct. Religion is rarely, if ever, discussed in the classroom. I have only been teaching for 8 years but even over that short amount of time, I have witnessed many changes in the public school setting with what’s allowed and what’s not. Religion is a very touchy subject which is why many teachers prefer to avoid it all together. I feel that there should be a balance. While I don’t think it is necessary to teach religion and pray in school, I believe it is important for our students to know and be aware that religion exists. Where I teach, we do an entire unit titled “Holiday Lights”. Throughout the unit, religious holidays from around the world are explained to the children. We have to be very careful with how it is presented though. We do not teach the religion. We explain what is involved and what is believed by the people who celebrate that holiday and follow that religion. I feel that children should understand that different cultures have different beliefs which should be accepted and respected.