I believe that we should have the right to display any religious references on student banners used at school-sponsored events; such as graduation ceremonies, football or sports events, theater and fine arts events, and any other school events that are presented by or for the school. The fact is just because you are at a school function of any kind does not mean that there is not to be any religious banners. The freedom of religion does not stop once you cross the threshold of the school. The government is not the one who gives us our freedom and right to have whatever religion we choose to have. Our rights are given to us by God not government. The Constitution protects us, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. ” This also goes for the school system, people have the right to religious references. When America was founded, the religious freedom was what brought the pilgrims here in the first place. America was founded on the Christian religion and freedom. The persicution of the protestants in Europe had become so bad people left their homes and family to come to America so they could practice their religion however and whenever they chose. For example, the school did not let a student display a religious flag or hand out Bibles or tracs and public events the school would be going against the law of the land. Our Constitution was not drafted to be interpreted however nonreligious people want to interpret it. It was a guideline to show them how to run a country that provides freedom of religion and not to pick one religion over another they are all equal under the law. Religion is a good thing and we should not deprive a person of th... ... middle of paper ... ... pray and support them as much as possible if we are to keep our freedoms that our founding fathers worked so hard to acheive for our generation. This is why freedom of Religion is importiant to me. I want to be able to speak freely about my faith. I want to be able to go to church without worrying about persecution, such as being arrested or sent to prison. I want to be able to go to a privite christian college to earn a higher education in the degree of my choice, whether it is in theology or a practical degree such as law or education. It is important to maintain our freedom of religion because it is our God given right and no one should take it away from us. Freedom of religion is eccentual to our survival as a free nation and we must ensure that we always fight to keep all the freedoms we currently enjoy. Works Cited the U.S. constitution
This example of a Supreme Court case shows that the court is not above politics. Even though most Americans, including government officials, practiced some form of Christianity, the judges were not willing to compromise the information in the Constitution for the popular beliefs of individuals. I agree with the Supreme Court in its decision to ban the practice of prayer in public schools. Not only does it violate the Constitution, but it encroaches on our freedom of thought and action. Being excluded from a public classroom because of personal beliefs does not sound just.
Religion has always been a topic that makes people uncomfortable, it has sparked wars, legal cases and arguments. This is a controversial issue that reigns havoc in many countries and because of this American citizens are afforded religious freedom through the US constitution. The goal of the United States government has never been to make our nation irreligious but to uphold the values of religious freedom.
The issue at hand is one of teacher endorsement and whether or not displaying a student’s religious work represents a personal endorsement from the teacher regarding religion or religious practices. Because the works of all students are displayed, the teacher is neither presenting nor endorsing a personal belief. If there is a concern over student interpretation of a teacher displaying the work, teachers can take an educational tact by explaining to students that a religious story presented by a student is their personal story and not a story of the teacher’s or the school, thus allowing the student’s work to be presented without violating the Establishment Clause (Ross, 2014). This piece of writing and the artwork that went with it are a personal belief to the student and represent who the student considers to be a hero, and do not represent the beliefs of the teacher or the school. Justice O’Connor explained this as an endorsement test, asking two questions: “whether government’s purpose is to endorse religion and second, whether the statue actually conveys a message of endorsement” (Schimmel, 1994, p. 16). In this case no endorsement is made because the teacher displays all student work and is in no way advancing a personally held belief. Having examined the appropriateness of displaying the student’s work, the next step is to determine how the First Amendment applies to
Until the early 1960s, religion was accepted in most public school systems across our nation. One of the main purposes for school in early America was for religious purposes (Prothero). Benjamin Franklin stated, "It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand." Thomas Jefferson stated, "The question isn't what religion is true. The question is what religious traditions do we need to know something about in order to be an effective citizen." Something that can be beneficial to our nation should not be taken away. Even though religion offends some people, it should be allowed in public schools because of its influence on America and western civilizations, and its ability to help form closer relationships.
When the morning announcements come on and say, “Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance,” people normally don’t think anything of it, but to stand up and recite a few lines to something they learned in kindergarden. However, some people may feel it is wrong to say the Pledge based upon a religion that they practice. Requiring students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance does violate the First Amendment due to the fact that they are protected under the Freedom of Speech clause. This is seen through The Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow case, The West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette case, and The Massachusetts Supreme Court case. In the following cases, it is discussed whether or not it is fair to force students to stand up and recite the Pledge of Allegiance while in school.
In her article “Beyond the Wall of Separation: Church-State in Public Schools”, Martha McCarthy, a Chancellor Professor and chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, makes it clear that her aim is to inform educators of the legal history and constitutional precedents of the Establishment clause and Free speech Clause of the First Amendment with an attached understanding of how educators should implement these findings. She summarizes and analyzes key Supreme Court rulings over the course of the 20th century as they pertain to religious expression in public schools. She clarifies the usage of both the Establishment Clause and the Free Speech Clause, including recent changes in trends that have been noted in the Supreme Court during the last decade. From the late 1940’s to the 1990’s most Supreme court rulings focused on the Establishment Clause to the increasing exclusion of the Free Speech Clause such that students were increasingly limited in the ways they were allowed to express themselves in school even in a private manner. In recent years, however, it has been noted that forcing students to suppress their religious expression is itself a religious statement and one that denies the role of religion in people’s lives. McCarthy notes that the public schools must take a neutral stand in relation to religion such that they do not defend or deny its role in people’s lives, either directly or indirectly.
First, a student should be allowed to pray voluntarily at the beginning of each school day because the United States government was originally based on Christian principles. The Declaration of Independence, a document written to express the mission and purpose of this new country, states, ? We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that God endows them, with certain unalienable rights?..? Credit for the rights that Americans hold dear is given to God, the Creator, by the founding fathers of this Nation. In order to understand the basic fundamentals of the US form of government, students need to understand the religious teachings that influenced these early leaders; that is the creation, the providence of God and a final judgement day for accountability. Since the government was formed under these principles, it can only stay strong if students understand these beginnings. The first amendment states ?that congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof?? The first clause declares that the federal government cannot establish a common state church. Many of the US forefathers left Europe because they did not agree with nor want to be forced to support the established state church. The second part of this clause insures and encourages individual religious belief. The demonstration that religion is
Religion is part of a well rounded education and provides the religious aspects of human morality and virtuosity (Haynes, 2). It allows for the insight into history and culture through the historical influence of its nature. Despite the fact that it is not the only factor, one can not help but notice the steady decline of the moral society in relation to the degeneration of religious rights (Glenn, 7). One must stop and think how a little bit of voluntary religious freedom in the public school system would affect the morality of the new age student.
America has been named the "melting pot" of the world. It houses many different cultures, nationalities, ideas and religions. There are Christians, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Mormons, Hindus, Spiritualists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islamic, plus many more. America is unique in that all these religions are represented in a nation that is only 200 years old. And America has upheld, throughout history, that the freedom and equality of religion is extremely important in order for this nation to function as a free nation. The foundations of America were set as a result of England's persecution; more specifically, England's religious persecution. The colonists wanted to create a nation that allowed people to be free. They desired to speak what they wanted to speak, do what they wanted to do, and practice what they wanted to practice... without the government watching their every move. Thus came religious freedom.
"God help, I'm so lost!" If you listen carefully, this is a common thought that is heard throughout many schools in the nation. Is this thought appropriate? The following statement clearly shows that the law allows students and adults to practice religion, but at the same time be respective of others and their beliefs even if they do believe or if they don't. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, or to petition the government for a redress of grievances." (First Amendment, The Constitution of the United States). Prayer is not normally permitted as a scheduled part of classroom activities, because it would result in the violation of the principle of church-state separation, which has been defined by court interpretations of the 1st Amendment to the U.S, Constitution. The separation principle is extended to Public school as an arm of the government, with an exception which can be permitted if, during the school year, a mixture of prayers, statements, etc are delivered, using material derived from a number of different religions and secular sources. So far, this has never been tried in a school or ruled upon by a court (Religion in Public).
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom to explain that each man has the right to practice any religion they please as long as it does not harm others. In addition, government cannot show favoritism when it comes to religion. After having the definition of “separation of church and state” laid out in front of you, it is surprising to realize what may have seemed normal growing up for most children, is in fact unconstitutional. In this paper, we will discuss the issue of the pledge of allegiance in public schools.
Freedom of religion is a right that is granted to all citizens under the First Amendment of United States Constitution (U.S. Const. amend I). This gives individuals the freedom to express their religious views however they may please. Controversy arises when the topic of religion is brought up in schools. A great example scenario is when a student submits an assignment representing Jesus Christ when asked to come up with a paper and drawing of their hero. It is important to understand what rights students have when it comes to incorporating religion in their schoolwork. This paper will examine the legal issues regarding the grading and display of the assignment containing religious expression that is submitted by a student and how the First Amendment applies to classroom assignments in schools.
Religious expression in schools can cause problems that could be avoided if it were not allowed. It can also provide unneeded stress on teachers and students alike. Including religious works in school can exclude students with whom it does not apply. Expressing religion in schools can cause tension, is unnecessary, and should not be allowed in public schools. If religious expression was not allowed in public schools, there would be fewer complaints by religious and nonreligious parents and students alike. Students would be able to see each other as who they truly were and not through a biased veil caused by outward religious expression. Teachers would be able to teach to the best of their abilities and include fuller concepts about typically religion focused lessons. School, in general, would improve and the learning experience itself would enhance.
Freedom, equality, and liberty are very important in our society and should be important in all societies. It happens even today, that people are muted from speaking out on what they want to believe in, they are restricted on their natural freedom of choice. Some or scared that they may go against the church or go to Hell if they disobey God.
the school should be disrespectful of the important role religion plays for many students. Courts