Should religion be taught in public schools?

[JakeStarkey]

I don't remember that we had religion classes in the public schools I attended.

We did have a mythology section in the fifth or sixth grade that wowed me.

Should we have religions classes, modified, or not in public school?

 

[JakeStarkey]

Please consider

1. as a class in liberal arts, literature, comparative religions, etc.
   
   
2. as a class for converting students
   
   
3. not at all

and please pray for Taz's soul.

 

[Spinster]

We had subtle religious training in public schools. We listened to an audio message from the principal each morning, said the Lord's prayer along with the Pledge of Allegience everyday. Not overt religious training, but exposure nonetheless.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I noticed as an adult and school board president that in East Texas schools, the religious "instruction" was more noticeable than yours, spinster. There was a 2d grade teacher in Center who had a picture of Jesus the Shepherd surrounded by His flock, with student faces pasted on to those of the little lambs, in her class room. That one with those of teachers at Pineland ISD who had Bibles on their desks passed muster. One ISD has had to deal, as have some other ISDs, with Muslim teachers who would come to class under hijab. Although some parents protested, the teachers' right to apparel was not interfered with.

 

[Dot Com]

only as a social studies course including ALL of monotheism (Judaism, xstianity, & islam)

 

[Penelope]

No, that is the parents place. As an elective in college, the history of religion and not just the Abrahamic religions.

 

[rdean]

I don't remember that we had religion classes in the public schools I attended.

We did have a mythology section in the fifth or sixth grade that wowed me.

Should we have religions classes, modified, or not in public school?

What's the difference between mythology and religion?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We had subtle religious training in public schools. We said listened to an audio message from the principal each morning, said the Lord's prayer along with the Pledge of Allegience everyday. Not overt religious training, but exposure nonetheless.

Either you attended public school prior to 1948 or your school was never sued for violating the First Amendment.

 

[mdk]

Yes, but only Islam.

 

[JakeStarkey]

We had subtle religious training in public schools. We said listened to an audio message from the principal each morning, said the Lord's prayer along with the Pledge of Allegience everyday. Not overt religious training, but exposure nonetheless.

Either you attended public school prior to 1948 or your school was never sued for violating the First Amendment.

No, in CA in the early and mid sixties. Other people I have talked to do my age or younger said they had such classes or services much later in the century.

I know that Santa Fe ISD in Texas got in trouble twice for endorsing mandatory religion for its students. One ruling was in 2000: Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"Should religion be taught in public schools?"

Religion in public schools is appropriate when it pursues a secular purpose, does not promote adherence to a particular religious dogma or belief, and does not manifest as excessive entanglement between government and religion.

Teaching Nordic, Greek, or biblical mythology in the context of a secular literature class is Constitutional, for example.

 

[Spinster]

We had subtle religious training in public schools. We said listened to an audio message from the principal each morning, said the Lord's prayer along with the Pledge of Allegience everyday. Not overt religious training, but exposure nonetheless.

Either you attended public school prior to 1948 or your school was never sued for violating the First Amendment.

Not in those days. And, no, not prior to 1948. That would have been prior to my birth. Kind of difficult to do that, although my mom did say I was advanced.

 

[Damaged Eagle]

If a religious organization is willing to pay for the teacher and/or classroom space at a public school to provide students an optional class defined as liberal arts but counts as credit towards graduation then I could care less.

Especially if it is an opt out course for some progressively liberal social justice nonsense course... In which case the teacher and classroom for the religious organization should be paid for by the school system/government.

*****SMILE*****

 

[S.J.]

No, and neither should evolution.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Evolution, little buddy, is science.

The Bible etc is not. Step along.

 

[ScienceRocks]

hell no...

Religion is faith
School should be for things that are real.

 

[S.J.]

Evolution, little buddy, is science.

The Bible etc is not. Step along.

Wrong. Evolution is speculation and those who promote it are liars.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Evolution, little buddy, is science.

The Bible etc is not. Step along.

Wrong. Evolution is speculation and those who promote it are liars.

There is speculation your brain does not work as it should; it did not evolve. Yes, it is science, and your whining changes nothing.

 

[Desperado]

Religion is part of History, Wars have been fought over religion! Of course it should be taught in school.
Do you just want to ignore it? A basic sampling of each religion, what they believe, what they stand for. How they differ.
No more, no less and that would be all major religions.

 

[Meriweather]

Should we have religions classes, modified, or not in public school?

What makes the most sense to me is to offer the classes as an elective during middle school and high school years. But here's the deal. All religions are offered, but only those with interest of thirty of more students are held--and the church must provide the teacher.