Teachers and the Establishment Clause

Madison (first author of Bill of Rights)

Let’s say you’re a public school teacher who’s been getting some questions from students such as these:  Mr. Jones, what’s your religion?  Ms. Smith, do you believe in God? 

For fear of breaching that “wall of separation,” do you just quickly change the subject without even acknowledging the inquiry? Perhaps you instead seize this opportunity to convince young minds

about the virtues of your particular beliefs.  If either of these responses seems knee-jerk correct, read on.  Quickly.

A freedomforum.org online publication titled A Teacher’s Guide to Religion in the Public Schools discusses these and other related dilemmas.  As concerns the above two questions, this guide states that the teacher may choose to simply answer that “it is inappropriate for a teacher to inject personal beliefs into the discussion.”   However, if the teacher does not mind disclosing such beliefs, and the students are of a comprehending age and maturity level, “the teacher may answer at most with a brief statement of personal belief – but may not turn the question into an opportunity to proselytize for or against religion” (and “may neither reward nor punish students because they agree or disagree with the religious views of the teacher”).

And what about the students?  Are they “allowed” to express their own religious traditions within the public

schools?  The answer is mainly “yes” if done privately (such as praying before tests, reading Scriptures, saying Grace before meals).  This religious expression must not be utilized as a substitute for school assignments or as a means of converting others.  If student beliefs are expressed within assignments, these assignments should be judged by “ordinary academic standards” rather than upon the beliefs themselves.

Resources

http://www.freedomforum.org/publications/first/teachersguide/teachersguide.pdf

Copyright May 8, 2012 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved