Should Religion Be Taught In Schools
At the same time, students’ rights of religious exercise and expression cannot be ignored. There are times when religion at school is appropriate. Students’ rights to pray voluntarily and express themselves religiously are intrinsically important.
The ACLU works to protect public school students’ religious freedom by curbing the practice of school-sponsored religion and ensuring that students may freely express and exercise their faith. We also defend students' free speech rights in the public schools and students' rights to pray in the schools. Additionally, whenever a teacher allows children to choose their own topics for an assignment (such as which book to read or which topic to study for a presentation), students may choose religious …show more content…
In a culture that has so many different beliefs, needs, and opinions, what is the compromise in such a controversial topic that satisfies everyone? Religion in schools is such an important issue because schools are the place where children learn, grow, and develop into the people they will later become. To what extent should religious practice and expression be accepted at schools? (http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_pray.htm)
In 1998, President Clinton addressed this issue by stating “Schools do more than train children's minds. They also help to nurture their souls by reinforcing the values they learn at home and in their communities. I believe that one of the best ways we can help out schools to do this is by supporting students' rights to voluntarily practice their religious beliefs, including prayer in schools.” (http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html) In President Clinton’s opinion, allowing free expression of religion in schools would benefit the children because it would facilitate their learning by supporting their beliefs in an encouraging …show more content…
For example, atheists might feel uncomfortable not participating in the practices with their surrounding peers. It states in Atheists’ Rights and Religious Expression In the Public Schools: A Secular Perspective & Guide For Parents and Students that “Non-religious students have every right to not participate in these same activities. Religious students may not harass their non-religious counterparts. Repeated badgering to pray, read religious materials, or attend prayer circles or other gatherings — on or off campus — is not permitted. Outside the classroom, nonreligious students have every right to be free from persistent, aggressive proselytizing by their peers.” (http://www.atheists.org/publicschools/schools2.pdf) This piece conveys one of the problems with allowing free expression of religion in schools. It can cause children who are not partaking in the customs to feel isolated and upset. If there is a large gathering of students who share in the same practices, it can make those few students who don’t feel uncomfortable at their school.
The ACLU works to protect public school students’ religious freedom by curbing the practice of school-sponsored religion and ensuring that students may freely express and exercise their faith. We also defend students' free speech rights in the public schools and students' rights to pray in the schools. Additionally, whenever a teacher allows children to choose their own topics for an assignment (such as which book to read or which topic to study for a presentation), students may choose religious …show more content…
In a culture that has so many different beliefs, needs, and opinions, what is the compromise in such a controversial topic that satisfies everyone? Religion in schools is such an important issue because schools are the place where children learn, grow, and develop into the people they will later become. To what extent should religious practice and expression be accepted at schools? (http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_pray.htm)
In 1998, President Clinton addressed this issue by stating “Schools do more than train children's minds. They also help to nurture their souls by reinforcing the values they learn at home and in their communities. I believe that one of the best ways we can help out schools to do this is by supporting students' rights to voluntarily practice their religious beliefs, including prayer in schools.” (http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html) In President Clinton’s opinion, allowing free expression of religion in schools would benefit the children because it would facilitate their learning by supporting their beliefs in an encouraging …show more content…
For example, atheists might feel uncomfortable not participating in the practices with their surrounding peers. It states in Atheists’ Rights and Religious Expression In the Public Schools: A Secular Perspective & Guide For Parents and Students that “Non-religious students have every right to not participate in these same activities. Religious students may not harass their non-religious counterparts. Repeated badgering to pray, read religious materials, or attend prayer circles or other gatherings — on or off campus — is not permitted. Outside the classroom, nonreligious students have every right to be free from persistent, aggressive proselytizing by their peers.” (http://www.atheists.org/publicschools/schools2.pdf) This piece conveys one of the problems with allowing free expression of religion in schools. It can cause children who are not partaking in the customs to feel isolated and upset. If there is a large gathering of students who share in the same practices, it can make those few students who don’t feel uncomfortable at their school.