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1. Professional Perspective/ Audience /Topic

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1. Professional Perspective/ Audience /Topic

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Since I am pursuing a degree in curriculum and instruction, the professional perspective I am taking for this presentation is that of an instructional coach who is trying to help teachers bridge the gap between religion and school for their students.

The intended audience for this presentation is K-12 public school teachers who deal fist hand with the conflicts between religion and public school. This padlet presentation will hopefully guide/educate teachers on students religious rights in public school.

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After interviewing a well rounded and practiced educator, I have learned that the topic of students religious rights in public schools is important in education because the student population is becoming more diverse everyday. The educational field is being heavily impacted because teachers are not being properly prepared to handle diverse students needs. Religion is such a popular topic because of its sensitive nature. Some of the best used practices to handle religion in education is

Get to know all of your students on a personal level so you, as the teacher, can learn and educate yourself about any unique qualities.

Always remain neutral in how you carry yourself as far as teaching, talking, or demonstrating religious practices go, especially with your own personal beliefs.

Try to create a safe environment in your classroom so that all students feel welcome and supported no matter their religious, ethical, or cultural differences.

A current emerging issue within the topic of religion in public schools is religion being brought/developed into the curriculum material. Some educators and religious scholars think that students need to learned about the different major religions found around the world in order to help in the history and literacy departments. This is an issue because religion is such a sensitive subject and also, no one wants one religion to be promoted over another.
The person who helped give me a better and deeper understanding of this topic is April Holder. She is currently a fifth grade math teacher at Sonora ISD.

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http://www.nea.org/home/43098.htm

The National Education Association provides a professional association to the topic of culturally responsive teaching for Today's Aspiring Educators. This resource provides advice to help make all students feel welcomed and valued as well as inform teachers on the best ways to become culturally responsive. This resource helps inform teachers on the importance of being culturally aware and diverse in order to connect, relate, and best educate all students regardless of their ethnic background.

Walker, T. (n.d.). Closing the culture gap:When it comes to connecting with students, cultural sensitivity is more important than a common ethnic background. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/43098.htm.

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https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/24/prayer-rooms-are-just-one-way-texas/

This news article talks about how a school in Frisco, Texas found a way to accommodate any and all students who wish to practice their faith that does not violate any federal/state laws.

Liberty High School implemented/designated a prayer room that can be used by any student or staff member to practice their faith during non-instructional time periods throughout the day.

The prayer room was legal and perfectly acceptable under the First Amendment because the same accommodations were being offered to all students despite their religious views and backgrounds.

Chávez, S. M. (2017). Prayer rooms are just one way Texas public schools accommodate religious freedom. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/24/prayer-rooms-are-just-one-way-texas/.

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https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/10/10/public-school-students-need-to-study-religion.html

This article discusses the importance and limitations of the trending topic, teaching about religion in public schools.

Many believe educators want to teach religion so they can convert students to Christianity when in reality, teachers simply want to educate students to better understand the complex roles that religion plays in life experiences.

Even though some find it controversial, many religion scholars/educators think teaching students about religion is the best way to diversify them and enhance empathy.

Moore, D. L. (2018). Public school students need to study religion. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/10/10/public-school-students-need-to-study-religion.html.

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U.S. Const. amend. I.

https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm#amendments

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires that all individuals are granted the freedoms/rights of religion, speech, petition, and assembly. In terms of religion, the First Amendment helps prevent Congress from promoting or restricting any certain religious practices.

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Freedom to Organize Religious Groups and Activities, Tex. Educ. Code 2 § 25.154.

https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._educ._code_section_25.154

This law makes it possible for students to organize/create religious groups, clubs, and/or activities before, during, or after school. This law also demands that religious groups be allowed the same opportunity to use the school's facilities without discrimination as any other organization would.

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Requirements for Elective Courses on the Bible's Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 74.36.

https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPagesl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=74&rl=36

This law allows school districts to offer religious courses covering the Old and New Testaments and their impacts to students in ninth grade  or above. These classes are to be offered as an elective only and  will explore the historical, influential, and literate concepts of the Old and New Testaments.

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Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, 542 U.S. 1 (2004).

https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2256561478384599461&hl=en&as_sdt=6,44

This Supreme court cased ruled that reciting parts of the Pledge of Allegiance, such as "one nation under God", could potentially violate First Amendment rights as well as certain district policies for various religious/individual beliefs.

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http://www.sonoraisd.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3114456/File/Parents/Handbooks/Elementary/2019-2020%20%20Elementary%20Student%20HandbookV1.pdf

The local law from Sonora ISD explains that parents have the right to temporarily take their child out of school if an instructional activity conflicts with any religious/moral beliefs. However, students cannot be removed for an extended period of time or to avoid tests.

Sonora Elementary School Student Handbook. (2019). Parental rights: Religious or moral beliefs § 1. Retrieved from http://www.sonoraisd.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3114456/File/Parents/Handbooks/High%20School/High%20School%20HB%202019.pdf

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Texas Education Agency Educators’ Code of Ethics, Standard 3.4

https://uteach.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/files/Code_of_Ethics_and_Standard%20UPDATE.pdf

This ethical principal states that an educator should not deny, advance, or exclude a student from participation in a program/activity due to their religion, race, gender, nationality, disability, etc. This particular ethical principal is in place to help ensure all students are treated equally in school regardless of their background information.

Educators’ Code of Ethics, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 247.2.

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https://gogateways.org/articles/2018/1/31/us-department-of-educations-guidelines-on-religious-expression-in-public-schools

Buehrer, E. (2018). U.S. department of education's guidelines on religious expression in public schools. Retrieved from https://gogateways.org/articles/2018/1/31/us-department-of-educations-guidelines-on-religious-expression-in-public-schools.

This website offers information, guidelines, and resources regarding religious expression in public schools. This resource has information for teachers, parents, children, and schools. This is a great website to visit for anyone with questions, concerns, or simply seeking more knowledge on the topic.

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13. List of Recommendations/ Best Practices for Compliance

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13. List of Recommendations/ Best Practices for Compliance

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Attend as many seminars/trainings as possible to help become culturally diverse/ responsive.

Always remain neutral while carrying out required teacher duties concerning religion.

If there is religion in the curriculum, remember to teach not preach the information.

Welcome diversity into your classroom through structure, arrangement, and setup.

Teach active listening skills to help students learn to really listen to one another.

Always be prepared for conflict. Hurt feelings are inevitable with children so it is best to be prepared to handle those situations instead of sacrifice control within the classroom if/when it happens.