Religion is a broad concept which provides individuals with a set of practices and beliefs that they can choose to adhere to in their lives. The United States Constitution gives citizens the freedom of religion regardless of their age, gender, or ethnicity. An education system is also a place that teaches students and provides them with knowledge and skills in various disciplines in the dynamic world and which solves multiple social ills. The topic of religious matters is divisive and controversial, and debates about its constitutionality in public schools continue to grow. Although religion is already in our public schools by way of the Pledge of Allegiance, religion should not be taught in public schools because not only does it go against our First Amendment right, but it is too much of a broad subject to teach with over four thousand religions in the world.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects several freedoms in the country including that of religion. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (U.S. Const. Amend. I; Amendment, F. (2006). The primary purpose of the established clause is to protect citizens from the institution of an official state religion. On the other hand, there is a free clause that provides individuals with religious freedom and this primarily addresses religious minorities; hence its effect is smaller. In the 1940s, there was an application of the 14th Amendment to the First Amendment, and this provided a restriction on what to consider as acceptable about religion and public schooling (Waldron, 1996). However, the limits are only limited to school personnel when on their official capacity. Therefore, the United States Constitution contains various amendments that restrict teaching religion in public schools.
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Religion influences people’s worldview and daily lives and the knowledge about this subject differ from one individual to another. The United States government prohibits teachers from teaching religion in public schools. Teachers should be aware of the subject’s cultural responsiveness and how to teach it within the appropriate curriculum. However, one shortcoming is that educators may lack knowledge about the First Amendment’s religion clauses and all religions (Marks, Binkley & Daly, 2014). The rights that affect the incorporation of teaching religion in public schools’ curriculum are “the protection of equality; freedom of religion and the right of parents to have children educated consistently with their values; and the educational rights of children” (Evans, 2008). Therefore, teaching religion in public schools is unconstitutional because it goes against the provisions of the constitution.
The United States government prohibits teaching religion in public schools because it considers this as a religious indoctrination or practice. The law provides that a public school should not be provisional neither should it promote, inhibit, or condemn the religion of any form regardless of the situations at hand. There is a need for teachers to be overly sensitive to a student’s religious beliefs and practices, and must not in any way interfere with their personal views or promote other thoughts on the same. Educators must not encourage learners to follow certain religious beliefs or practices, and the United States finds any attempt to teach such as unconstitutional.
Public schools consider teaching about religion as a part of a secular education program aimed at educating students about how it significantly influenced historical, cultural, literary, and social development in the United States as well as other states. The law in the country stipulates that the programs should help learners to understand and be able to tolerate and respect the diversity of religions in the pluralistic society (Davis, 2006). Educators should not be subjective while discussing religion and they should provide a neutral and factual view on this matter. Therefore, religion should provide students with a deeper understanding of the principle of religious liberty which is one of the central sections of the United States’ Constitution which includes freedom and democracy to its citizens.
Teaching religion and promoting religious beliefs and practice is unconstitutional for public schools. There is a need for school educators as well as parents to be careful not to go beyond the line of "the laudable educational goal of promoting a student's knowledge of and appreciation for this nation's cultural and religious diversity, and the impermissible endorsement of religion forbidden by the Establishment Clause" ("CLEVER v. CHERRY HILL TP. | 838 F.Supp. 929, (1993). However, the government permits public schools to reach the Bible as literature and not as a religious doctrine, and it provides that teachers should be neutral and objective in the lessons which should be secular. Furthermore, public schools should make these classes as optional, and some of the secular lessons include honesty, good citizenship, and respect for others.
In conclusion, teaching religion in public schools is unconstitutional, and the 14th Amendment on the First Amendment provides various restrictions on the issue through various religion clauses. The United States Constitution protects the rights and freedom of its citizens; hence prohibits teachers from enforcing, encouraging, or discouraging any religious beliefs and practices. However, the government only permits teaching religion, and this involves studying the Bible as literature, providing objective, neutral, and factual views, and teaching secular lessons. Therefore, teaching religion and encouraging or forbidding specific religious practices and beliefs in public schools is unconstitutional because it goes against the First Amendment of the United States Constitution which protects citizens’ freedom of religion.
References
Amendment, F. (2006). Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Guarantees freedom of speech. The issue has arisen as to whether someone can be charged for exercising this right over the Internet .
CLEVER v. CHERRY HILL TP. | 838 F.Supp. 929 (1993) | upp92911628 | Leagle.com. (1993). Retrieved from https://www.leagle.com/decision/19931767838fsupp92911628
Davis, D. H. (2006). Character education in America's public schools.
Evans, C. (2008). Religious education in public schools: An international human rights perspective. Human Rights Law Review , 8 (3), 449-473.
Marks, M. J., Binkley, R., & Daly, J. K. (2014). Preservice teachers and religion: Serious gaps in religious knowledge and the First Amendment. The Social Studies , 105 (5), 245-256.
Waldron, P. (1996). Religion in Our Public Schools: Has the Supreme Court's Treatment of
Religion Made Government Intervention in Education Unconstitutional. BYU Educ. & LJ , 96.
