Blog #8: Religion

This week's presentation on religion brought up some very interesting conversation. Religion is a topic in which people are usually very opinionated about. Opinions in our class varied from people with very strong Christian beliefs who would support prayer in school and posting of the ten commandments to those who believe religion should not even be mentioned in school, and everything in between. I think it was very wise of the group to begin with posting the First Amendment of the Constitution as well as mentioning the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. Because despite our personal beliefs or convictions, the ultimate decisions over the role of religion and school always comes down to these clauses. Despite what some people might believe or want to believe, our country was not founded on Christianity; it was founded on the notion of freedom of religion (or freedom from religion if one chooses).

I think when it comes to school, one must consider the difference between teaching about religion and teaching religion as truth, as explained on the website www.religioustolerance.org. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Education released “Religion In The Public Schools: A Joint Statement Of Current Law” (http://www2.ed.gov/Speeches/04-1995/prayer.html) which explicitly stated that “Students may be taught about religion, but public schools may not teach religion.” In other words, there is nothing wrong with teaching students about various religions of the world and how they have influenced different content areas including history, literature, and many genre of art. Furthermore, I see no harm in students discussing their religious preference or questions with their peers. In fact I think it is good for students to have such discussion with their peers as long as it is not in a manner in which any student feels uncomfortable or pressured. As a teacher, I do not think it is appropriate or necessary to disclose my religious preference to my students, but I do incorporate religious studies into some lessons (such as a unit we did in December about different holidays including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa).

The argument came up many times in class that it would be nothing but beneficial to promote “Christian morals” in public schools. I agree that all students can benefit from moral values, but I don’t believe that morals need to be linked directly with Christianity or any religion for that manner. The truth is, I have known some very immoral people that call themselves Christians, and on the flip side I know some people who identify themselves as atheists who are quite morally upstanding. It’s unfortunate that some people are unable to separate the ideas of religion and morality.

As educators, it is our job to create a safe, welcoming learning environment for all students, despite their differences, religious or otherwise. We need to embrace the differences and teach our students to do likewise. Our actions as teachers should reflect the moral values we wish to see in our students, not a religious doctrine. We ourselves must learn amd teach our students to peacefully coexist, in and outside of the classroom.