Religion in Public Schools

Religion has been a very debatable topic for many decades. There are numerous views, beliefs and practices that fall under religion. A concern that many parents, elected officials, teachers and administrators have is the use of religion in schools. The question is: should religion be taught or exercised in public schools? I believe it should only be practiced at home.

In the article ‘Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up’, it addressed a lawsuit that was filed between an atheist parent against a suburban Chicago public school. The parent was riled up over the fact that his daughter had to participate in having a moment of silence in prayer or personal reflection every morning of each school day. The judge ruled against the state law requiring public school students to observe the moment of silence. Defenders of the law argued that the law does not force students to participate in anything religious, but that it is the student’s personal choice to indulge in those sorts of activities. In another article entitled “Joint Statement of Current Law on Religion in the Public Schools” it offers a breakdown of what religious concepts or practices (if any) are permissible in the schools and what are prohibited.  It gives a thorough outline of what teachers and administrators should do in various situations related to religion, what procedures they need to follow, how they should tackle certain subject matters and how to conduct appropriate religious debates. This is a helpful guide for everyone including parents, since it offers a better understanding of everyone’s roles and rights pertaining to religion. Students and teachers are now more aware of what they can do and can’t do and what they are required to do.

When I was in elementary school we had to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning before classes started. Although this was not a prayer, praise was being given to a flag and God was being acknowledged in the pledge, this is something that could have gone against my religion. For example, Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in worshipping a flag, so if I was a part of this organization this would have gone against what I believe and was raised not to do. This brings me to the topic of religious holidays being promoted and practiced in schools such as Christmas.  Students that are Jehovah Witnesses once again cannot participate because this is not a part of their beliefs. A policy for religious holidays is included in the ‘The Joint Statement of Current Law on Religion in the Public Schools’. It states that public schools are allowed to teach about religious holidays, and they may celebrate the secular aspects of the holiday, however they may not observe the holiday as religious events. Students are allowed to be excused from participating in all activities that are associated with the holiday. I believe this isolates students to a certain degree, even though it is a free at will type of situation. Every student wants to be included in fun activities they don’t want to feel left out, but there is little that can be done to make all students feel equally equal. If the holidays aren’t celebrated than that would not be fair to the students that do celebrate them and if they are it isn’t fair to the students that don’t. So it all balls done to students having choices, rather than them just being obligated to participate. I think the policies on religion have brought some sort of balance to the school system, which was very much needed.

I believe schools are not the place to teach any and everything. I believe there should be some sort of boundaries. I feel that religion shouldn’t be practiced in schools because students have different beliefs. It is not the schools place to encourage or discourage students to believe in anything other than what is taught in their homes. As a parent I want my children to learn religious beliefs from me and not a teacher because we may have different views. I want my children to believe in what I decide to teach them as oppose to what the teacher wants. Until my children are of age to choose their own preference, I would like to make that decision for them.

References:

American Civil Liberties Union (April 1995). Joint Statement of Current Law on Religion in the Public Schools. ACLU – Defending Targets of Discrimination – Religion and Schools.  Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools

Calefati, Jessica (Jan. 2009). Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up. US News.  Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/on-education/2009/01/22/religion-in-schools-debate-heats-up_print.html

Educational Innovators and "Makers"

           The education field has been designed by magnificent educators. These educators can be categorized as either innovators or “makers.” They have all contributed something to the education field. Many of their ideas, concepts and theories have helped create a foundation for educators worldwide.  An innovator can be defined as a person that introduces something new according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary. I believe innovators are more relevant to education than “makers” are. Innovators have created ways for individuals like me, to receive a great education, whereas “makers” used education to create an industry that will ‘make’ them money.

There are plenty of innovators that interested me, but two really made an impact, Horace Mann and Linda Brown Thompson. These two individuals have done some extraordinary things that still impact us. According to the PBS website, “The Story of American Public Education,” Horace Mann devoted his time and energy to create a solid foundation for public schools. Mann didn’t start his career path as an educator, but that is where he ended up. He established the board of education in which we still utilize today.  Mann used his law and social reformer experience to create a new foundation for public schools. He improved public schools by trying to  “equalize education opportunity, he established training institutes for teachers, increased the length of the school year to six months, and gathered support for more funding for teacher salaries, books and school construction.” Mann’s dedication to improving public schools has awarded me the education I believe I deserved. I was educated in the public school system and without Mann’s hard work and continues efforts to improve the system, I am sure my public school education experience would have been a lot different. Mann’s desire to equate education, leads me to the next individual Linda Brown Thompson, who desired to receive the same educational opportunity as that of other races.

Linda Brown Thompson, an innovator, “is often credited with single-handedly bringing down segregation in America (PBS website).” Brown has paved the way for Blacks and other races to receive the same educational opportunity as the whites. Due to her families’ determination and her eagerness to learn, segregated schools no longer exist. Brown stood up and fought for what she believed she deserved which was the same education that was offered to the whites at that time. This was a major during the early 1900’s. Blacks were not allowed to be taught in the same facility as the whites. Talk about an equal education, that didn’t exist. Brown will always be remembered for her courage in fighting to receive an equal education. I am thankful for Brown standing her ground and changing the nation. As a Black woman, I feel so privileged to know that someone fought for me, my siblings, my children and future generations, so that we can be as successful as the next individual by being able to receive the same educational opportunities regardless of our sex or race.

In the ‘American Education History Tour’ John Taylor Gatto states that “the real makers of modern schooling weren’t at all who we think.” Gatto goes on and name a few innovators as the individuals that aren’t makers of modern schooling. He states that leaders of the new American industrialist class are the true makers of modern schooling. I am not too thrilled with the concept that Andrew Carnegie, John Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, a.k.a the “makers” are “the real makers of modern schooling.” I do not believe that these individuals have made a sufficient impact in the education field. I will grant them credit for dreaming big and becoming outstanding achievers. However, to award them with the title of being “the real makers of modern schooling” will be a giant stretch. If I had to choose a “maker” that has influenced public education as we know it today I would choose John Rockefeller. He has played an extensive role in education as a whole. Rockefeller established The Rockefeller Foundation in 1913 in which its mission was “to promote the well-being of man-kind throughout the world (Encyclopedia of World Biography)”. It established high schools throughout the south by providing free professional advice on improving instruction and education (Poole, K).  Although he was not an educator he has provided millions of dollars to fund education.  Rockefeller provided funds for Spelman College in Atlanta, GA in which is a college for African American women. He was the founder of the University of Chicago in which he contributed more than $80 million into the institution and founded Rockefeller University located in New York City. Rockefeller has also provided financial support to many institutions such as Yale, Harvard, and Brown (Wikipedia).  His contribution to the education field has helped keep institutions up and running financially, but I do not believe that his efforts did much in creating the foundation in public education as we know it to be today.

It takes more than money to make public education success. However, I will rationalize that money sure does play a major factor in keeping the public schools up and running.  It is the money that has brought numerous schools into many communities offering children the opportunity to become educated. I will say that it has been the innovators that have taken the proper steps to ensure that every child receives a great education, but it has been the “makers” that have supplied the funds to make that possible. So overall, I think they both have influenced the education field one way or the other.

References:

2001. Horace Mann. Innovators. The Story of American Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/innovators/mann.html

Gatto, John T. 2003. The Makers of Modern Schooling. American Education History Tour. Retrieved from http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/historytour/history1.htm

Encyclopedia of World Biography. John D. Rockefeller Biography. Retrieved from http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pu-Ro/Rockefeller-John-D.html

Poole, Keith. 2000. The Rockefellers. American Experience. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rockefellers/peopleevents/p_rock_jsr.html  

2011. John D. Rockefeller. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller

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Tashina