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Religion in the Public School Curriculum: Questions and Answers*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2015

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Extract

Growing numbers of people in the United States think it is important to teach about religion in the public schools. Teaching about religion includes consideration of the beliefs and practices of religions; the role of religion in history and contemporary society; and religious themes in music, art, and literature. But what is the appropriate place of religion in the public school curriculum? How does one approach such issues as textbook content, values education, creation science, and religious holidays?

The following questions and answers are designed to assist school boards as they make decisions about the curriculum, and educators as they teach about religion in ways that are constitutionally permissible, educationally sound, and sensitive to the beliefs of students and parents. There are other questions concerning religion and the schools not addressed here, including school prayer, equal access, and how schools accommodate diverse religious beliefs and practices. For a full discussion of these broader issues, please contact the sponsors of this statement.

Type
V. “Living with Our Deepest Differences”: The Williamsburg Charter Foundation Project on Education About Religion in a Pluralistic Society
Information
Journal of Law and Religion , Volume 8 , Issue 1-2 , 1990 , pp. 309 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University 1990

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Footnotes

*

This statement was published in 1988 by the following organizations: American Academy of Religion; American Association of School Administrators; American Federation of Teachers; American Jewish Congress; Americans United Research Foundation; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs; Christian Legal Society; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; National Association of Evangelicals; National Conference of Christians and Jews; National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA; National Council on Religion and Public Education; National Council for the Social Studies; National Education Association; and National School Boards Association.

References

* This statement was published in 1988 by the following organizations: American Academy of Religion; American Association of School Administrators; American Federation of Teachers; American Jewish Congress; Americans United Research Foundation; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs; Christian Legal Society; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; National Association of Evangelicals; National Conference of Christians and Jews; National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA; National Council on Religion and Public Education; National Council for the Social Studies; National Education Association; and National School Boards Association.