Informative Essay: Religion Has No Place In Schools,Related Documents
School prayer The most enduring and controversial issue related to school-sponsored religiou The Pledge of Allegiance In , Congress revised the Pledge of Allegiance to refer to the natio See more WebReligion In Schools Essay. Religion in Schools According to the Pew Research Center, approximately sixty-nine percent of Americans believe that the debate on religion in WebNov 20, · The presence and extent of religion in public schools is one of the most difficult church/state issues. Religion in schools is a problem that can affect many WebApr 15, · Parents should have the right to decide what their children will learn in school. Religion is generally beneficial for opening people's minds and for preparing WebAug 14, · Active religious practices in public schools constitute one of the most controversial issues in the United States of America. Active religious practices include ... read more
And what of the many faiths? It would almost be impossible to allow religion in public schools because of the many faiths there are. Which religion should the prayer come from? Islam, Judaism, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Pagan, Rastafarian, Taoism? The logistics of such a conquest would be an enormous and painstakingly time consuming. It would remove important time from learning. It is where the vast majority of students in a given city, of all faiths and walks of life, come to…. HOME ESSAYS Religion in Schools Essay. Religion in Schools Essay Good Essays. Open Document. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Religion in schools is a problem that can affect many people because of how they are treated in a discriminatory manner, also not all have the same religion or in some cases people have no religion.
In my opinion, schools and religion should not be linked because religion is a personal and voluntary choice. The religion is something that should not be imposed. I think this was done so that there were no problems with students in schools by their religions, because their beliefs are normally very different and they may to try to impose on others their own beliefs. Another fact is, that in most instances, students have the right to express their personal religious beliefs. Students may pray, read the Bible or other religious text and discuss their faith as long as they do so in a non-disruptive or non-discriminatory manner. All of us have the right to believe, provide they do not disturb others by their beliefs and if some of their beliefs do not please us, we should not treat them badly or upset about it, just let them believe that and we believe what we want.
Vitate : Schools with initiated prayer in the public schools system violates the First Amendment. I think that this was done in order for it to be possible to respect the beliefs of the others but not to practice religions in the schools, but individually. Besides there is the fact that are already specific places to practice each one´s religions. In the line with an article in the. Continue Reading. You May Also Find These Documents Helpful. Good Essays. Argumentative Essay On Religion In Public Schools Words 2 Pages. Argumentative Essay On Religion In Public Schools. Read More. Essay On Secularism And Equality Words 2 Pages.
Essay On Secularism And Equality. The Case Against School Prayer Words 2 Pages. The Case Against School Prayer. Best Essays. Prayer in School Words 4 Pages. Prayer in School. Engel V. Vitale: the Beginning of the Battle Against School Prayer Essay Example Words 4 Pages. Vitale: the Beginning of the Battle Against School Prayer Essay Example. Essay On First Amendment In Public Schools Words 4 Pages. Essay On First Amendment In Public Schools. Freedom Of Religion In Schools Essay Words 4 Pages. Freedom Of Religion In Schools Essay. Alternatively, you can take into account the following ideas:. As we have already said, the main aim of argumentative essay writing is to confirm a certain point of view. Since this opinion is by definition controversial, we decided to show you how to state that that religion should be taught in schools in the first essay sample, and refute this opinion in the second example.
The times when education was religious are in the past. As a result, today, we have a selfish and individualized society, where everyone protects himself. Religion should be taught in school, as this is the only way to return to society the forgotten moral standards and true values. Religion is a way to show our differences through our unity. People practice different religions, but they have the same moral ideas. It is a way to unite groups of people globally, based on common values, even if religious groups are different. Learning religion is a way to know the world. In Finland, children from primary school study religion practiced in their family or ethics, and this is one of the most popular subjects.
Since not many parents talk to children about God and religion, the school can fill this gap. Thus, schooling will become more complex. This is an opportunity to give not only academic knowledge but also to grow a human from a person. In conclusion, it should be said that it is necessary to prepare for the teaching of religion in schools — to teach teachers to translate the true values and compile textbooks correctly. With this approach, religion has the opportunity to become one of the most important and favorite subjects.
In most countries, religion is separated from education. This is a balanced decision, as a civilized society implies the ability of each person to make an individual choice and believe in their values. Religion should not be studied in school because it is contrary to the views of most modern societies and can lead to enmity between young people and their groups. We live in the 21st century, when the understanding of religiosity is critically rethought — now it is not identified with spirituality. Religiousness is part of spirituality. And spirituality is very broad; it is often called the whole life of a person.
Therefore, each person should develop spirituality independently, without forcible influence and even not under the influence of certain religious norms. Many civil libertarians and others, meanwhile, voice concern that conservative Christians and others are trying to impose their values on students. This debate centers on public schools; very few people are arguing that religious doctrine cannot be taught at private schools or that teachers at such schools cannot lead students in prayer. And even in public institutions, there is little debate about the right of individual students, teachers and other school employees to practice their religion — by, say, praying before lunch or wearing religious clothing or symbols.
Moreover, as a survey of American teens shows some forms of religious expression are relatively common in public schools. For instance, about four-in-ten public school students say they routinely see other students praying before sporting events, according to the survey. And about half of U. This analysis, updated on Oct. This report includes sections on school prayer, the pledge of allegiance, religion in school curricula, and the religious liberty rights of students and teachers. The report does not address questions of government funding for religious schools that is, school vouchers and tax credits because the schools in question are largely private, not public.
Conflicts over religion in school are hardly new. In the 19th century, Protestants and Catholics frequently fought over Bible reading and prayer in public schools. The disputes then were over which Bible and which prayers were appropriate to use in the classroom. In , fighting broke out between Protestants and Catholics in Philadelphia; a number of people died in the violence and several Catholic churches were burned. Similar conflicts erupted during the s in Boston and other parts of New England. The Legal Status of Religious Organizations in Civil Lawsuits March Are legal disputes involving churches and other religious institutions constitutionally different from those involving their secular counterparts, and if so, how?
Government Funding of Faith-Based Organizations May The debate over the meaning of the Establishment Clause. Free Exercise and the Legislative and Executive Branches October A look at state and federal statutes that protect religious freedom. Free Exercise and the Courts October The courts have grappled with the meaning of the Free Exercise Clause. Religious Displays and the Courts June Government displays of religious symbols have sparked fierce battles. The Supreme Court stepped into those controversies when it ruled, in Cantwell v. Connecticut and Everson v. Soon after the Everson decision, the Supreme Court began specifically applying the religion clauses to activities in public schools.
In its first such case , McCollum v. Board of Education , the high court invalidated the practice of having religious instructors from different denominations enter public schools to offer religious lessons during the school day to students whose parents requested them. Four years later, in Zorach v. Clauson , the court upheld an arrangement by which public schools excused students during the school day so they could attend religious classes away from school property. The new Pew Research Center survey finds that one-in-ten religiously affiliated teens in public school leave the school for religious activities. Beginning in the s, the court handed religious conservatives a series of major defeats.
It began with the landmark ruling, Engel v. Vitale , that school-sponsored prayer — even nonsectarian prayer — violated the Establishment Clause. Since then, the Supreme Court has pushed forward, from banning organized Bible reading for religious and moral instruction in to prohibiting school-sponsored prayers at high school football games in In these and other decisions, the court has repeatedly stressed that the Constitution prohibits public schools from indoctrinating children in religion. But it is not always easy to determine exactly what constitutes indoctrination or school sponsorship of religious activities.
For example, can a class on the Bible as literature be taught without a bias for or against the idea that the Bible is religious truth? Can students be compelled to participate in a Christmas-themed music program? Sometimes students themselves, rather than teachers, administrators or coaches, bring faith into school activities. For instance, when a student invokes gratitude to God in a valedictory address, or a high school football player offers a prayer in a huddle, is the school legally responsible for their religious expression? The issues are complicated by other constitutional guarantees. For instance, the First Amendment also protects freedom of speech and freedom of association.
Religious groups have cited those guarantees in support of student religious speech and in efforts to obtain school sponsorship and resources for student religious clubs. The right of a student or student club to engage in religious speech or activities on school property may, however, conflict with other protections, such as the right of students to avoid harassment. Because the student had graduated by the time the Supreme Court granted his appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the lower court to vacate its ruling and dismiss the case. In one of these cases, the Supreme Court ruled against CLS, stating that these nondiscrimination policies were constitutional so long as they were viewpoint neutral and fairly applied to all groups seeking recognition on campus.
As these more recent controversies show, public schools remain a battlefield where the religious interests of parents, students, administrators and teachers often clash. The conflicts affect many aspects of public education, including classroom curricula, high school football games, student clubs, graduation ceremonies. The most enduring and controversial issue related to school-sponsored religious activities is classroom prayer. In Engel v. Vitale , the Supreme Court held that the Establishment Clause prohibited the recitation of a school-sponsored prayer in public schools.
In banning the prayer exercise entirely, the court did not rest its opinion on the grounds that unwilling students were coerced to pray; that would come much later. Rather, the court emphasized what it saw as the wrongs of having the government create and sponsor a religious activity. The following year, the high court extended the principle outlined in Engel to a program of daily Bible reading. In Abington School District v. Schempp , the court ruled broadly that school sponsorship of religious exercises violates the Constitution. Schempp became the source of the enduring constitutional doctrine that all government action must have a predominantly secular purpose — a requirement that, according to the court, the Bible-reading exercise clearly could not satisfy.
With Engel and Schempp, the court outlined the constitutional standard for prohibiting school-sponsored religious expression, a doctrine the court has firmly maintained. In Stone v. Graham , for instance, it found unconstitutional a Kentucky law requiring all public schools to post a copy of the Ten Commandments. And in Wallace v. Jaffree , it overturned an Alabama law requiring public schools to set aside a moment each day for silent prayer or meditation. Perry , the U. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit upheld a Texas law mandating a moment of silence because it determined that, in passing the law, the state legislature had sufficiently articulated a secular purpose. But while courts have given states some latitude in crafting moment of silence statutes, they have shown much less deference to laws or policies that involve actual prayer.
In , for instance, the Supreme Court ruled in Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe that schools may not sponsor student-recited prayer at high school football games. More sweeping in its consequences is Lee v. Weisman , which invalidated a school-sponsored prayer led by an invited clergyman at a public school commencement in Providence, Rhode Island. The case effectively outlawed a practice that was customary in many communities across the country, thus fueling the conservative critique that the Supreme Court was inhospitable to public expressions of faith.
So far, lower appellate courts have not extended the principles of the school prayer decisions to university commencements Chaudhuri v. Tennessee, 6th U. Circuit Court of Appeals, ; Tanford v. Brand, 7th Circuit, The 4th Circuit, however, found unconstitutional the practice of daily prayer at supper at the Virginia Military Institute. In that case, Mellen v. The decision was similar to an earlier ruling by the U. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which found unconstitutional a policy of the U. service academies that all cadets and midshipmen attend Protestant, Catholic or Jewish chapel services on Sunday Anderson v.
Laird, Most recently, in , the Supreme Court declined to review a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding the firing of a football coach at a public high school for praying on the field with his players after games. However, in a statement accompanying the denial of review, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. joined by fellow conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh indicated the high court would be open to reviewing other cases involving similar issues. In , Michael Newdow filed suit challenging the phrase on behalf of his daughter, a public school student in California. The case, Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow , reached the Supreme Court in , but the justices did not ultimately decide whether the phrase was acceptable.
Instead, the court ruled that Newdow lacked standing to bring the suit because he did not have legal custody of his daughter. While the issue never reached the Supreme Court again, it continued to be litigated in the lower courts. In Myers v. Loudoun County Public Schools , the 4th U. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld recitation of the pledge in Virginia, but a U. district court in California ruled the other way in another suit involving Michael Newdow and other parents. However, the 9th U. Circuit Court of Appeals in reversed the district court decision, ruling that the recitation of the pledge did not constitute an establishment of religion. The courts have drawn a sharp distinction between officially sponsored religious speech, such as a benediction by an invited clergyman at a commencement ceremony, and private religious speech by students.
The Supreme Court made clear in Lee v. Judges usually reach that same conclusion when school officials cooperate with students to produce student-delivered religious messages. But federal courts are more divided in cases involving students acting on their own to include a religious sentiment or prayer at a school commencement or a similar activity. Some courts, particularly in the South, have upheld the constitutionality of student-initiated religious speech, emphasizing the private origins of this kind of religious expression. As long as school officials did not encourage or explicitly approve the contents, those courts have upheld religious content in student commencement speeches. In Adler v. Duval County School Board , for example, the 11th U.
Why should religion be taught in schools? The discussion of religious studies in schools is a subject that has elicited contention in the academic circles. Scholars are divided on whether or not religious studies should be taught in schools. The subject matter has also brought out controversy among curriculum developers. The main issue of contention revolves around establishing the boundary between religion and state. Religious studies are very important in raising morally upright citizens in a nation. Although it is possible to reject the move to offer religious studies in schools based on the claim that parents should instill morals in their children at home, it is crucial to realize that many contemporary parents are usually busy to the extent that getting time to share moral stories with their kids is almost impossible.
Hence, with this foundation, the paper argues that there is a place for religious studies in schools today and that the benefits of studying religion outweigh the demerits. The main argument in favor of teaching religion in schools is that it helps to instill good morals in people. It also promotes faith as religious freedom and helps explaining complicated issues in life which are not addressed by other disciplines. According to Cochran , the study of religion should be encouraged from the entry level since it assists in character molding. It is important to note that religious studies instill good morals in people.
Examples of these morals include honesty, faithfulness, hard work, respect, and dignity. All religious studies, including Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism others promote these virtues. Religion also helps to prevent vices among young people in the society today. The witnessed issues of violence among young people may be attributed to lack of religious teachings. Religion discourages vices such as early pregnancies among the young people, majority of who are in schools. As part of their work, tutors of religious studies discourage drug and substance abuse among learners, thus encouraging them to be productive citizens in a country. Since religion prohibits sexual relationships before marriage, it plays an important role in eradicating sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS among others.
Furthermore, teachers of religious studies address the issue of the sanctity of family and the need to promote faithfulness in marriage. Hence, as future parents, students who lack such understanding from school may end up failing to know the aspects that need to be imparted to their kids. Hence, failing to offer lessons that instill these concepts in school may result in a violent and undisciplined generation that lacks meaning focus in life. According to Cheadle and Schwadel , religion helps to promote ethics among learners. Such ethical elements help to nurture students to become all-rounded citizens. Such religious principles in a school setting form the basis of professional work ethics in many organizations today.
It is also important to note that many careers in the world today have their foundation on religion. Religion comes in handy in the career development of disciplines such as law, medicine, philosophy, psychology, and counseling among others. These disciplines have their foundation established on the morals and ethics of religion as presented in the various schooling levels. Moreover, people who major in religious studies can grow to become professionals in various areas such as teachers, counselors, and religious leaders among others. Governmental organizations such as public schools, police force, and the military normally have a chaplain. Such role can only be developed after studying religion and hence developing an interest in the career. According to Jeynes , schools that teach religion achieve the highest level of performance compared to those that discourage religious studies.
The implication here is that religious studies create a big impact on career advancement. Religion also helps in acquiring important life skills. Such skills are acquired after learning about religious personalities who demonstrated great faith, perseverance, and commitment. Students with such skills will also try to emulate such persons and hence grow to become responsible citizens. It is also important to note that moral uprightness is acquired by instilling the fear of God in the lives of students. Such fear helps learners to acquire knowledge and wisdom. However, it is apparent that schools are the best placed to impart this understanding through religious studies.
As Russo reveals, the freedom of religion is a guaranteed basic human right in most of the progressive constitutions. Therefore, religious studies give students a better understanding of their religions. It is important to note that religious studies teach the basic pillars of every belief. Therefore, the teaching of religion gives one the freedom of choice in relation to worship. It is also important to note that the best democracies in the world have their countries founded on the belief in a Supreme Being or deity.
From these establishments, it becomes crucial to instill morals among learners by teaching them religious studies in schools. Furthermore, Duemmler and Nagel reveal how religion helps learners to understand cultural diversity of the world populations since different regions practice diverse religious beliefs. Such understanding of the varied beliefs will promote peaceful co-existence while allowing room for better diplomatic negotiations among nations. Therefore, this situation makes religious studies a very important aspect in schools since it helps in preparing students to work in any part of the world. In other words, religion plays an important role in helping students to understand the history of the world. It may also help a student in explaining the patterns of politics, trade, and law.
Equipping students with religious knowledge helps them to understand and appreciate the role of faith in shaping the world. According to Kunzman , the worsening levels of education can easily be attributed to strict regulations on religious studies in schools. This restriction has led to deteriorating standards of education, as well as moral decay in the society. Religion helps in explaining the complicated issues of life that are not addressed in other disciplines. Some of the mysteries include life after death, miraculous occurrences, eternal living, hell, and heaven. Science and other disciplines do not explain these things, yet they are important items in religion.
Therefore, addressing these aspects makes learners have a wider view of the matters of life. It expands the scope of students since it goes beyond issues that happen in the present world. Religion also reveals future events in the form of prophecy, hence helping learners to have an insight about events to come. For this reason, elements from religious studies dominate discussions on social and mainstream media. Therefore, such studies cannot be wished away. According to Banton , religious studies form part of the social structure of a society. Hence, omitting the study of religion in school translates into denying learners a crucial element that they need in their life.
It is crucial to note that religious education comes with some drawback when presented in a school setting. One disadvantage is that the subject excludes the interests of the non-religious groups. It also disregards cultural diversity and personal beliefs of students. According to Kurtzleben , non-religious groups such as atheists have their interest and freedom that should be respected in schools. Religious studies are based on the belief of supernatural beings that are not recognized in atheism. Therefore, the teaching and practice of religion in schools may make atheists and other non-religious groups feel socially excluded and discriminated. Furthermore, religion may not consider the cultural diversity and beliefs of every individual Kurtzleben, Non-religious groups that form a minority may also feel harassed and discriminated by the teaching of religion is schools.
Furthermore, the study of religion contradicts some teachings of science. For instance, while science teaching in schools will make learners believe and uphold the evolution theory, religious studies teach the opposite to the same learners. Hence, opponents of teaching religion in schools assert that it brings confusion to the learner. For instance, according to Gaylor , it is advisable to teach atheism also in schools for all learners to be well represented. The evolution theory believes that people transformed over time through several stages and advancements. I support religious studies in schools since the learner has more to gain than lose from religious subjects. However, it is important to allow students the freedom to choose whether they want to study religion or not since it has a bearing in their careers as previously highlighted.
In my opinion, religious studies should not be made compulsory but optional. In so doing, it will ensure that the interests of religious, as well as non-religious students are respected and that nobody will feel discriminated. From the discussions above, it comes out clearly that religious studies should form part of the school curriculum. However, it is important to underscore that the studies should aim at providing the understanding of various cultures in the world to facilitate the integration of communities. The study of religion in schools should not be aimed and converting individuals. Instead, it should help people to appreciate diversity.
Carrying out religious studies appropriately in schools may help to stop many religious wars and persecutions that the world is witnessing today. Banton, M. Anthropological approaches to the study of religion. London, England: Routledge. Cheadle, J. A social network analysis of adolescents who attend small schools. Social Science Research , 41 5 , Duemmler, Kerstin; Nagel, Alexander-Kenneth: Governing religious diversity: Top-down and bottom-up initiatives in Germany and Switzerland. Ellithorpe, M. Moral license in video games: When being right can mean doing wrong. Gaylor, A. The Dangers of Religious Instruction in Public Schools.
Jeynes, W. A meta-analysis on the effects and contributions of public, public charter, and religious schools on student outcomes. Peabody Journal of Education , 87 3 ,
Religion in Schools Essay,Argumentative Essay On Religion In Public Schools
WebReligion and Public Schools Religion in public schools have always been a big debate as to whether or not to allow religion in schools. There are many factors that go into WebReligion in Schools7 Pages Words. The significant debate on religion in schools is becoming more and more heated. Many people say that banning religion in schools School prayer The most enduring and controversial issue related to school-sponsored religiou The Pledge of Allegiance In , Congress revised the Pledge of Allegiance to refer to the natio See more WebReligion In Schools Essay. Religion in Schools According to the Pew Research Center, approximately sixty-nine percent of Americans believe that the debate on religion in WebApr 15, · Parents should have the right to decide what their children will learn in school. Religion is generally beneficial for opening people's minds and for preparing WebAug 14, · Active religious practices in public schools constitute one of the most controversial issues in the United States of America. Active religious practices include ... read more
Since this opinion is by definition controversial, we decided to show you how to state that that religion should be taught in schools in the first essay sample, and refute this opinion in the second example. People practice different religions, but they have the same moral ideas. having to do mainly with Protestant instruction and Morals which discusses moral issues outside common religious matters such as God, Jesus and the Bible. Religion in Public Schools. Circuit Court of Appeals considered a New York City Department of Education policy regulating the types of symbols displayed during the holiday seasons of various religions. They also argue that….
Religion helps in explaining the complicated issues of life that are not addressed in other disciplines. Carrying out religious studies appropriately in schools may help to stop many religious wars and persecutions that the world is witnessing today. This article analyzes the First Amendment of the United States Constitution in order to persuade the reader that religious education should be included in school curricula, religion in schools essay. Read More. Nonreligious Americans Remain Far Underrepresented In Religion in schools essay.
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