Religion in Public Schools
We have a first amendment; however,
we do not put it into place. We, as teachers, are the model for children
in our classroom, and we want to promote individuality and respect for one’s
self. However, if we cannot discuss how we became the person we are, then how
do we expect them to feel free to discuss themselves as an individual? Based on her research, Kimberly White
wrote an article discussing how religion may or may not have an effect on a
teacher’s identity and the way they teach which is an interesting article for
all students, parents, and future teachers to read.
Her research was done based on
articles from the twentieth and twenty-first century from years 1994-2006.
Therefore, due to a variety of points being made through the articles, I felt
that she sometimes wandered out further than what she was trying to research which
caused confusion for me while I was reading. There were times while reading that I wish she
would have just got to the point because I found myself trying to figure out
what she was meaning by her interpretations of the articles she was
researching. I never felt as if she voiced her specific thoughts but more so
summed up what she found through her research.
While reading, it seemed that every page I had a question or thought of my own; however, I wanted to read further to discover her final findings because to learn or understand you must always go in with an open mind. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. For instance, it amazed me that “the majority of published articles discussing teacher’s identities and religion were published before the 20th century … and only two of the articles discussed teacher’s religious experiences” (White, 2009, p. 859) while the majority discussed child experiences with religion. Therefore, this shows that the topic of allowing teachers to discuss religion in schools is only going to get worse. I personally feel that if the students are allowed to pray, read their Bible, and discuss religion amongst their peers, then why can’t teachers? I understand that there is a possibility to offend someone; however, is there not the same possibility amongst the students? Is this country really about free speech, or are we just letting the government control us and have their way? I personally feel that religion is a big part of the United States history; therefore, it should be discussed when on the topic of history. Our country is full of multiculturalism, which based on her research according to White (2009) “includes religion, however it is often dismissed from the topic” (p. 259). Therefore, if we are not going to discuss topics in full, then we, as teachers, are not providing children with the full learning experience that they deserve. If we allow the government to “omit religion from the schools, as it is a questionable approach” (White, 2009, p. 260) then, we are teaching children that it is not ok to be and express yourself which is the total opposite of what we want our children to learn.
While reading, it seemed that every page I had a question or thought of my own; however, I wanted to read further to discover her final findings because to learn or understand you must always go in with an open mind. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. For instance, it amazed me that “the majority of published articles discussing teacher’s identities and religion were published before the 20th century … and only two of the articles discussed teacher’s religious experiences” (White, 2009, p. 859) while the majority discussed child experiences with religion. Therefore, this shows that the topic of allowing teachers to discuss religion in schools is only going to get worse. I personally feel that if the students are allowed to pray, read their Bible, and discuss religion amongst their peers, then why can’t teachers? I understand that there is a possibility to offend someone; however, is there not the same possibility amongst the students? Is this country really about free speech, or are we just letting the government control us and have their way? I personally feel that religion is a big part of the United States history; therefore, it should be discussed when on the topic of history. Our country is full of multiculturalism, which based on her research according to White (2009) “includes religion, however it is often dismissed from the topic” (p. 259). Therefore, if we are not going to discuss topics in full, then we, as teachers, are not providing children with the full learning experience that they deserve. If we allow the government to “omit religion from the schools, as it is a questionable approach” (White, 2009, p. 260) then, we are teaching children that it is not ok to be and express yourself which is the total opposite of what we want our children to learn.
Unfortunately, just as White (2009)
noticed, “religion is silenced in classrooms that are supposed to openly
encourage deconstruction the notions of race, socio-economic class, gender, and
sexual orientation” (p.257), and it will continue to happen everywhere until we
put a stop to the problem. We must start making a point that every aspect of
our lives has an effect on us, and that is part of who we are as humans;
therefore, when asked about our experiences we should have the freedom of speech
to discuss what we choose. White (2009),
through her research, came to discover that “the majority of research puts
teachers in the neutral state workers place and focus more on how students
should interact with religion, … however, teachers religious identities do
affect their lives and decisions in their classrooms. Therefore, more studies
need to recognize and be more relatable, so that teachers are able to explore
and recognize how their religion affects their identity and the way in which
they teach” (White, 2009, p. 864).
We, as teachers, must be willing and
allowed to teach a variety of topics and not just focus in on one specific
religion, so that children are able to discover how they identify themselves. As
a future teacher, it scares me to think that I may go into a school and not be
able to discuss religion of any sort someday. That is why every day I consider
more and more becoming a teacher in the private school system, so that I have
the capability to freely discuss and teach the children in my classroom about
religion while also teaching them how important their self-identity is and not
to be afraid of the world around them that does not support their beliefs but
to stand strong and try to make a change.
References
White,
K. R. (2009). Connecting religion and teacher identity: The unexplored
relationship between teachers and
religion in public schools. Teaching and
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