The Importance Of Religion In Education

Is it ok for students to express religious beliefs in class discussions, or through assignments? If you were Brittany Settle you would probably answer “No”. Settle v. Dickson County School Board, 53 F. 3d 152 (6th Cir. 1995), Brittany’s assignment was a research paper and her topic was drama approved by her teacher, which she later changed, without approval, to “The Life of Jesus”. The teacher refused her paper and Brittany received a zero. The teacher gave six reasons why she refused Brittany’s paper. Court ruled that Brittany’s free speech was not violated, by having to abide by a teacher's curriculum, and the teacher has control over the curriculum and classroom.

The question of whether or not religion should be taught in public schools has been an ongoing debate among parents and teachers for decades. In the article “Religion and Education: The Pitfalls of Engaging a Complex Issue” Martin E. Marty and Jonathan Moore express their views on the matter. They express that religion in public schools could potentially bring conflict to families. They also support the other scenario that religion classes would inform students of the different beliefs of the people they will meet throughout their lives. Religion in the public school system is still an ongoing debate, one that needs to be resolved. The children that will be affected by the outcome of this debate are the future leaders of America, therefore, we should not take this decision lightly. Children everywhere and in all schools need to be taught about different religions so they can make a firm stand for what they believe in.

When working with students assignments that deals with religion, we as educators have to take various things into considerations. We have to allow students the opportunity to express themselves even when dealing with religious

Department of Education describes the current laws regarding religion within the public schools. He states that it is, in fact, constitutional to teach about religion in public schools. Also, students have the right to pray individually or in groups about their religious values with other students as long as they do not disrupt the students who do not wish to participate. Riley goes on to say that in the classroom, students have the right to read The Bible, and pray quietly to themselves except when they are required to participate in the regular class activities. Teachers or school administrators, however, are prohibited from encouraging religious or non-religious activities to students. Riley comments that during class, teachers can teach about a particular religion, but they are not permitted to teach that or any other religion. Things like, the history of different religions, or religion as literature are permissible subjects within the public schools. Obviously, schools would want to teach the role of religion in the history of the United States since it is such an important part of the country’s history. Riley points out that the same types of laws apply when teaching about the theories of evolution. The schools can teach the different explanations of why there is life on earth but they can only present the evidence and not the religious beliefs. When it comes to assignments or homework,

Children may have to attend a school that is associated with their religion. It is always possible that this gives the child a different quality/balance of education. They may struggle to understand other people‘s religion or lifestyle choices. They may become confused or isolated and

I also share that she is entitled to religious beliefs as long as she does not share them with the students (Whitehead, 2002). The reading of the Bible is acceptable in the public schools as long as the teacher does not promote a particular religion for the students in her class according to the First Amendment (Whitehead, 2002). The teacher can only discuss religion and the Bible if it relates to a subject matter that is outlined in the approved curriculum (Whitehead, 2002).

In recent years teaching or the individual practice of religion in school has become a very controversial topic. There are many different views on this matter and even more opinions on how it should be handled. There are people on both sides of the spectrum, there are those who believe that it should be taught and allowed in school, and there are those who believe it should not be taught or practiced in school. There have been cases brought to court about how religion should be taken out of schools, or if it should be allowed. There are many differences that cause concern between public schools and private or religious schools regarding education. For example, could it be that single – sex schools (which are only seen in private

I volunteered at Chiefland Elementary School, under Ms. Sidorenko’s supervision. After doing my twenty hours of volunteering at Chiefland Elementary School, I have gained new knowledge on how religion works in schools. If you grew up in a small town area like I did, you would know that religion around here is not a touchy subject with many people. Many faculty administrators who work in the school system happen to be Baptists or Christians. Therefore, people are able to throw in religious assessments here and there without getting into too much trouble. In this case, at this school, everyone goes to the same church or partners with each other’s churches. Before I go on, let me just say, even though I am a Christian, I think that religion shouldn’t be a topic talked during school hours. My reasoning for this is because children are there to get an education and to learn about the world around them. Teachers barely have enough time to teach the concepts that are mandatory, if we add religion it will just offend students and teachers won’t be able to get their job done. Now that society is changing and is starting to accept individuals more, I have noticed this school is having a hard time accepting that.

The media reports on controversies involving school prayer down to the types of music the school choir is permitted to sing during the holiday season. I feel as long as the teacher teaches about religion and not promote one religion over another is the key point for education. I distinctly remember a student from Pakistan give a PowerPoint presentation on the Pillars of Faith within the Islamic religion. After class at the lunch table once again, numerous classmates began to discuss how inappropriate the presentation was for Americans and our beliefs. Once again, after listening to their concerns, I spoke up to the group stating the purpose of the entire presentation. I shared that the Pakistan student was giving us a factual glimpse into the Islamic beliefs and how their belief system affects the lives of practicing Muslims. His goal was not to convert the class to Islam but rather to educate in regards to the

Religion is by far the most controversial and non-debatable topic in the world. The topic of religion is hard to speak about and debate because it is solely based on faith. Faith is defined as having complete trust and confidence in someone or something. Everyone has faith in something whether it’s having faith that a loved one’s surgery will go well or faith that they will win a race at a track meet. Many have faith on some things, but not someone like Buddha or Jesus or maybe Muhammad. But why is that? The answer is because the schools aren’t giving these kids any education when it pertains to beliefs and religion. As a result, young children and young adults do not know what they represent. Many atheists say that religion should not be discussed in schools at all because it offends their beliefs of not having any beliefs at all, but freedom of religion should express every type of belief briefly so kids have a true shot at picking a type of lifestyle to live.

Some of these problems start with issues with teachers. In a public school, teachers are allowed to teach but not preach about world religions (Brochure). Teachers do not always have the right education to be able to teach religions in this way. In fact, there is only a few

It is a through a faith based education that one may discover the constant yearning of oneself and the purpose and meaning of their life. A faith based education mixed with a person’s spirituality can take an individual through a journey of faith and knowledge to a destination of self-actualization. A catholic education guides us to walk with Christ and develop love, hope and joy for God, which then assists an individual through challenges in their life. An Islamic education enables their followers to succeed in a constantly changing world, through the teachings of Allah. Often people come across challenges that question their meaning and purpose to the world, and the meaning and purpose of the world in general and life itself. Religion and spirituality combined guide a person to discover the inner-strength necessary to find oneself and their purpose, through transformative learning and an ever-longing yearning.

Some teachers may have a personal bias against certain faiths or religion in general. These problems can be dealt with. According to this article, “To address the challenge of teaching about religion without proselytizing, we must explore the assumptions and causes underlying each set of factors…” (Passe, J., & Willox, L. 2009). We should ask ourselves what lies beneath the problems of teaching religion. We should look to see if prejudice and impartiality are factors motivating against religious teachings.

One of the avenues of influential learning is in school. The place where students spend half of their life. Going to school aids students in acquiring knowledge, establishing rapport and developing skills. When students attend school, they showcase not only their characters traits and attitudes, but they also carry with them their cultural differences and religious practices. (Green & Oldendorf, 2005). Looking at how diverse our society is, the question of teaching religions and their ideologies at a school-level rise. Whilst the state practices neutrality towards religion, there are still issues and challenges when it comes to accommodating religious diversity and its integration in the education system (Berger, 2013, p.104). Therefore, integrating religion in the education system can lead to

A considerable amount of research has been carried out on what should be taught in religious education, and how it should be taught in classrooms. REDCo was one research carried out in eight European countries with students from the age of fourteen to sixteen, this research really got me interested in the content being taught to students, as they expressed their own attitudes