Religion in Public Education Religion in school can be defined as the practice of any personal religious belief or act in a place of education. To say that religion is a big topic of interest to a lot of people in the United States today is a bit of an understatement. The debate over the separation of church and state has been going on without end for years. With many different perspectives on the matter and even more opinions on how it should be handled. Since the beginning many people have challenged the role that religion has played in education. Should schools teach religion? If so, can they do it evenhandedly? Will they misinterpret the religion wrong? How many people would be offended? Would we be better off without it so that it doesn’t cause controversy? The problem is can we truly answer any of these arguments without the opposite side disagreeing? Many of these questions are rooted from the same controversy that is happening in schools today. Aside from the separation of church and states comes one of the vastly debatable topics of education allowing religion which is prayer in school. While a few believe that prayer in school is constructive to the development of a child and their faith, others may conclude that it could completely denounce the faith of a child. Because this is an ongoing controversy further research on whether religion should or should not be allowed in public education is usually boils down to two major points the First Amendment and is religion good for our children? Could we potentially have a compromise or could the two opposing sides meet somewhere in the middle? The first major reason for those who support religion in our schools look to their own countries Constitution... ... middle of paper ... ... the Establishment Clause. N.p., 2010. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New. Cambridge: Printed by John Field ..., 1668. Print. "Salford City Council." Why Is Religious Education (RE) Important? -. N.p., 13 May 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. "Constitutional Topic: The First Amendment." USConstitution.net. 3 Jan. 2011. 27 Feb. 2011 . Haynes, Charles C., and Oliver Thomas. Finding common ground: a guide to religious liberty in public schools. [New & updated ed. Nashville, TN: First Amendment Center, 2007. Print. Stone, Andrea. "Most think founders wanted Christian USA." . USA Today, 13 Sept. 2007. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-11 amendment_N.htm?POE=click-refer>. "Establishment Clause." . First Amendment Center, 16 Sept. 2011. Web. . .
The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New. Cambridge: Printed by John Field ..., 1668. Print.
" There is another reference to religion in Article 6, Section 3. This clause states "the United States" and the several States shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution. but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust. under the United States" http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html. For the purpose of this paper I am going to focus on the establishment of religion above mentioned in the The First Amendment..
The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments. King James. Barbour Books. Uhrichsville: Ohio, 2002.
In the United States, the average child goes through public funded schools that have a basic curriculum. According to the Texas Education Agency, some of the subjects include science, mathematics, social studies, English, and more. Nowhere in the subject is religion included. The basic curriculum is made in order to give students skills, knowledge, and to help develop the minds of the future. In science class, evolution is taught either briefly or detailed. It is taught because it is a popular theory that did not seem to choose a certain religion. So why believe that religion and science can be taught together? The evolution of Earth and the universe can be believed in any way an individual chooses.
Webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk, (2014). [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Key stage 2 | Religious education | Subjects | Key stages 1 & 2 | National Curriculum. [online] Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100202100434/http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/religious-education/keystage2/index.aspx [Accessed 22 Apr. 2014].
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
"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.
Holy Bible: the New King James Version, Containing the Old and New Testaments.Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Bibles, 1982. Print.
The Holy Bible New International Version: Containing the Old Testament and the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible, 1988. Print.
Most Public schools don’t allow for teachers to talk about religion in their classrooms. The debate about religion in public schools has been going on since the 1800’s. If students asked their teacher about their religion the teachers would have to ignore what they said and keep on teaching. But how fair is that to the teachers, what if they could help their students understand something better. It has gotten so bad in the United States that they barely can say the Pledge Of Allegiance, just because it has ‘In God We Trust”. By the Amended Constitution of the United States we have the freedom of speech and religion, at school kids should have the freedom to pray whenever they would like to because of these freedoms.
Bibles, Crossway. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version: Containing the Old and New Testaments. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print.
Against School Prayer." Journal of Supreme Court History 32.1 (2007): 62-84. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.
Like George Shaw once said “There is only one religion, though there are hundreds of versions of it”. Because the United States is a free community, most people do not see eye to eye. Religion in the United states is growing to be one of the most argued topics in the country. Religion is not supported by all Americans. The pubic have agreed to band religion on campuses. Why can’t America allow freedom of speak without criticizing each other? Will my future children be taught Gods not real? Why is religion frowned about, but evolution is okay to be taught in public schools? Even though most people frown upon religion, I would like to argue on my beliefs.
Tentative thesis statement: It seems that anything can create conflict these days, religion is included in that, with the whole debate of separation of church and state, the question now is teaching about different religions in public schools.