by: Jessica Eiler, Audrey Maddigan, Emily Dulany, Erin Gormley

Koch, Janice. TEACH. Vol. 2. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2014. Print.

Outline of Religion in U.S. Schools. (2012, July 9).

Teaching About Evolution in the Public Schools: A Short ... (2006, June 20).

"Teaching About Religion in Public Schools." Religion & Public Education 11.1-2 (1984): 14. ACLU. ACLU.org. Web.

It is essential for teachers to not only avoid promoting one particular religious holiday or practice, but to make an effort to celebrate a wide variety of cultural and religious holidays to educate the students about diversity and acceptance.

1620 - Mayflower Compact signed "Having undertaken for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith . . .  furtherance of the ends aforesaid."  The Pilgrims taught their children the Bible and the Christian  faith.

1636 - Harvard College owes its foundation to John Harvard a Congregational minister, who gave half his estate and books to the school.  Harvard was primarily as a religious school to train clergy in the Christian faith.

1699 - Yale was founded by ten ministers in order to further the reformed Protestant religion.  Students were required to read Scriptures morning and evening at times of prayer.

1746 - Princeton was founded by the Presbyterians with the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson as its first president.  Every student shall attend worship in the college hall morning and evening at the hours appointed and shall behave with gravity and reverence during the whole service.

1781 - Congress approves the purchase of Bibles to be used in schools.

1802 - Thomas Jefferson acting as President for Washington D.C. schools requires the Bible and the Watts Hymnal to be used in classrooms.

1844 - Videl v. Girard: Girard proposes to teach morals without the Bible.  The Supreme Court rules that American schools are to teach Christianity using the Bible.  The case is argued and won by Daniel Webster.

1890 - The Trinity Case: Supreme Court rules that America “is a religious people. . . . this is a Christian nation” as such it is fitting that its people would teach their children the Christian faith.

1980 - Stone vs. Graham: Supreme Court rules that the Ten Commandments can not be posted in classrooms, "for a child might read them, reflect upon them and then obey them." 

1984 - There are now 32,000 Christian Schools in America to counter the Supreme Courts secularizing of the public school system.

1987 - Edwards vs. Aguillard: Supreme Court overturns a State Law requiring a balanced treatment of creation science and evolution.

2008 - Christian run schools and most home schooling programs continue to produce students with higher academic test results then secular public schools.

Two semesters ago, working at Chico High.

"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."

2.  Students have the right to identify their religious beliefs through wearing clothing with religious messages and symbols.

3.  Students have the right to talk about and express their religious beliefs on the school campus.

4.  Students have the right to distribute and share religious tracts and literature on the school campus during non-instructional time.

5.  Students have the right to voluntarily pray on campus.  They may do so alone or with others if doing so does not disrupt school activities or is not forced upon others. 

6.  Students have the right to carry a bible or other religious literature

with them on the school campus. Students may read their Bible, etc. during non-instructional time.

7. Students have the right to prepare school assignments, research papers, speeches, and projects from a religious perspective and/or with a religious theme.

8. Students have the right to be exempt from activities and class content that contradict their religious beliefs. The school, however, may require that, during such activities, the student participate in alternate relevant activities.

9.Students have the right to observe, celebrate or study religious holidays on campus.

10.Students have the right to meet with and petition school officials.

11. Students have the right to organize religious clubs.

12. Students have the right to live according to their religious beliefs while on campus.

How do we fight against discriminating the use of religion in classrooms? What can we  do to balance the use/or lack of religion in a classroom? When is it right for us to step in and assess a situation or problem building? Why is it important to respect a child’s right to express their approval/disapproval in the classroom?

At each of your tables: would like you to create a scenario…

(Ex:)A student blurting out a religious and sexually explicit belief that we are not prepared for as teachers… Like I gave you earlier) Secondly, please collaboratively explain

1954 - The words "One Nation Under God" are add to the Pledge of Allegiance.

2004 - Supreme Court upholds the words "One Nation Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1962 - (Engel v. Vitale) Supreme Court rules that children may not recite a state written prayer in school.

1963 - Supreme Court bans individual school prayer (Murry v. Curlett) and Bible reading in public schools (Abington Township School District v. Schempp). 

1965 - Supreme Court rules that a child may pray silently to himself if no one knows he is praying and his lips do not move.

1980 - U.S. schools report the lowest S.A.T. scores ever, after 18 straight years of decline following the 1962 ban on school prayer.

1983 - President Reagan proposes a Constitutional Amendment to allow school prayer. 

1992 - (Lee vs. Weisman) Supreme Court rules Clergy may not offer prayer at graduation ceremonies.

2000 - (Doe vs. Santa Fe Independent School District) Supreme Court rules student initiated or student led prayer at football games is unconstitutional.