WELCOME TO THE CAUSE of creating a better future for our children by keeping God in our schools. By that, we mean:
We envision public schools as places where students feel the freedom to express their faith and where they gain an academic appreciation for the Bible and Christianity across the whole curriculum as it relates to history, culture, and values. This can be done legally and appropriately within existing constitutional boundaries and in keeping with current laws and state standards.
What Can I Do?
The School Checklist (below) answers the question: “What should I do?” The checklist becomes a simple way to review your schools and, if necessary, advocate for improvements. It focuses on two areas:
Religious freedom so students feel the freedom to express their faith;
Academic freedom so students gain an appreciation for the Bible and Christianity across the whole curriculum as they relate to history, culture, and values.
Evaluate two things in your schools:
POLICIES - School policies need to promote and protect freedom of religious expression and academic freedom to address topics related to religion
PRACTICES - Classroom practices need to foster freedom of religious expression and instruction about the cultural and historical influence of the Bible and Christianity.
School Checklist
|
The school district has a favorable policy about religious topics |
Y |
N |
|
The school district has a policy regarding holidays similar to the Sioux Falls School District which was found constitutional in Florey v. Sioux Falls |
Y |
N |
|
The school district allows for, or requires, a moment of silence at the beginning of each day (applicable in 34 states) |
Y |
N |
School Practices
|
Teachers are adequately informed of the school district’s favorable policy on teaching about religious topics |
Y |
N |
|
Bible literacy and Judeo-Christian history, culture, and values are appropriately included across the curriculum (see examples below) |
Y |
N |
|
In Social Studies – students learn about the Bible and Christianity’s influence on American and Western civilization (link) |
Y |
N |
|
In Language Arts – Bible literacy is incorporated to enhance literary understanding |
Y |
N |
|
In Science – students are taught the limits of science and have access to the full range of scientific views about evolution (link) |
Y |
N |
|
In Mathematics – students learn how people of faith use math to benefit others (e.g., charity, inventions) |
Y |
N |
|
In Foreign Language – students learn the Christian cultures of foreign countries |
Y |
N |
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In Music – sacred music is incorporated into the music program |
Y |
N |
|
In Art – students learn the significant role of Christianity in the support and develop of the arts |
Y |
N |
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In the Library – students have access to the Bible and books with Christian characters and themes |
Y |
N |
|
As part of the music program, students sing Christmas carols and other songs with religious themes |
Y |
N |
|
Educators teach about the religious aspects of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter |
Y |
N |
|
Teachers conduct a moment of silence at the beginning of each day (applicable in 34 states) |
Y |
N |
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
School District Policies
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Religious Freedom Day is officially recognized annually by a resolution or policy from the school board. (Sample resolution) |
Y |
N |
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The school district has a policy and guidelines clarifying students’ and educators’ religious liberties. (Sample Policy) |
Y |
N |
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The school district has a policy allowing religious release time programs. |
Y |
N |
|
The school district has a policy allowing student-led religious clubs. |
Y |
N |
|
The school district has a policy allowing after-school religious clubs. |
Y |
N |
School Practices
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Religious Freedom Day is recognized by each school. |
Y |
N |
|
Schools annually distribute information about students’ religious liberties to all students, parents, educators, and administrators. Schools consider video for announcements. (sample video) |
Y |
N |
|
Character education lessons include explaining the freedom to express one’s faith in word and deed at school. (See article) |
Y |
N |
|
The schools offer a religious release time program. (link, link) |
Y |
N |
|
The schools have student-led religious clubs. (link) |
Y |
N |
|
The schools have after-school religious clubs. (link) |
Y |
N |
Challenging a Book in Your School
There are many educators who believe that when parents question something being taught in the classroom, it's meddling. When parents ask to have something removed...it's censorship! But, is it? To hear certain groups tell it, you'd conclude that Hitler is alive and well and lurking in the wings of Hooterville High School.
Definitions
The word "censorship" as it applies, or is misapplied, to school issues seems hard to define. The dictionary defines a censor as, "one authorized to examine material, as literature or plays, and remove or suppress anything considered objectionable." If that definition were applied to a school district, every school board member, administrator, and educator would be a censor. They are all authorized to examine material and suppress (by not choosing) all kinds of books and programs to which students could be exposed.
Even the pros struggle with applying censorship to classroom situations. Edward B. Jenkinson who served as the chairman of the National Council of Teachers of English's Committee Against Censorship takes a stab at clarifying the issue for us in his book Censors In The Classroom: The Mind Benders. He not only falls short in his attempt, he admits defeat in the introduction of the book:
"I, too, am a censor. I do not permit my daughter to watch certain television shows because they are filled with crime and violence. I do not want her to read certain literary works because I believe that she is not yet ready for them. As a parent, I feel that I have a moral obligation to be concerned about what my child sees and reads." (p.xvi)
Recognizing that his book would be pretty short if he left it at that, Mr. Jenkinson goes on:
"On the other hand, I know I do not have the right to impose my standards on the other children in her class or in the nation. I must live with the constant uncertainty that by denying her the right to read or see anything, I may be seriously limiting her education. I do not know exactly what is best for my child — I can only try to provide what I think is right. But the public censor apparently knows what is best for all children."
Now, I'm not picking on Mr. Jenkinson, but after all, he did write the book. The whole problem of censorship in the classroom is a clash between private and public censorship.
When Mr. Jenkinson sends his daughter to the public school, he must decide whether or not his "moral obligation" extends into the classroom. If it is truly an obligation, he must inject himself into that classroom. Otherwise he, or any other parent, must alter his sense of moral obligation by stating, "I feel that I have a moral obligation to be concerned about what my child sees and reads...except in school; then, anything is acceptable." Not much of an obligation, is it?
The question of "moral obligation" also goes on in the mind of the teacher. She is the "imposer" of values ranging from conduct, hygiene, speech, academics, and, yes, what is valuable for children to read. And, yet, she is only one person, just like a parent. When a parent questions the validity of a book in school, we call it a censorship challenge. But when the teacher does it, we call it part of the job. Maybe censorship is part of the job!
So, What is Censorship?
Reason causes me to conclude that to be an educator is to be a censor. The word "censor" has become a bad word. It is used today to emotionalize a situation. It never clarifies an issue. It is only used to paint one group of people as the "bad guys." There is nothing wrong with the word. The problem is with what we now think of when we hear the word. When I say, to be an educator is to be a censor, I mean that the very process of education chooses one thing over another, sometimes for logical reasons and more often because of personal biases.
To be fair, schools cannot have it both ways. Educators shouldn't describe what a parent wants to do in seeking to remove a book as censorship and describe what schools do every day as selection.
The only suitable definition of a censor is the one found in the dictionary: "one authorized to examine material, as literature or plays, and remove or suppress anything considered objectionable." Some dictionaries refer to suppressing things for the "public good." The very act of teaching is the act of promoting that which is good and ignoring that which is objectionable.
Determining what is good and what is objectionable is where the conflict arises. Public education by its very design cannot avoid these conflicts. If it could, it would neither be public nor education.
Four Book Selection Guidelines You Can Suggest to Teachers
1. Does it violate your school's handbook on profanity? If a student can't say it in the halls, why does he have to read it in the classroom? Look, in the real world lots of people use foul language, but if we don't like it we can walk away. In a compulsory education system with an assigned reading a student is forced to read it. Why do that? Even if the book is just on a reading list, you have to ask yourself, "With 50,000 books published every year, is this the best stuff we can recommend?"
2. Would the teacher read the book out loud in public? If the book has a sexually explicit or gratuitously violent passage that seems so relevant to student angst or sexual tension, would the teacher be willing to read it at the next school board meeting or PTA? Could he give it to a school board member and ask her to read it out loud? If he thinks it might be embarrassing, maybe he needs to think twice about letting minors read it. Another thought: Is the teacher assuming students are more mature than they really are? They seem sophisticated in the way they talk and dress, but they may not be emotionally ready for a certain book's content.
3. Does the book represent the most noble and most inspiring literature students can read? They'll probably spend most of their lives reading uninspiring stuff (if they read much at all). Now's the chance to lift their sights a little higher.
4. Is the book the only one that will teach to the objective? Can the teacher satisfactorily defend why he chose the book and rejected (censored) any other possibilities? Can he reach his objective with another book and, thus, satisfactorily address parents' concerns?
© Eric Buehrer
Using a Moment of Silence at School
Thirty-four states currently have a provision that either mandates or allows for a moment of silence in the classroom at the beginning of every day.
To help students actually begin the day in prayer, Gateways has created a prayer card that students can use in the classroom. The size of a business card, these easily fit in a wallet or binder. Wouldn't it be great if students prayed the following:
Heavenly Father,
Grant me each day the desire
to do my best,
To grow mentally and morally
as well as physically,
To be kind and helpful to my classmates and teachers,
To be honest with myself as
well as with others,
Help me to be a good sport
and smile when I lose as
well as when I win,
Teach me the value of
true friendship,
Help me always to conduct myself so as to bring credit to my school.
Amen
Download a sheet of the cards and print out as many as you can use.
Or you can purchase a set of 100 prayer cards for $15
CLICK HERE to read about the news event that gave birth to this strategy.
FAQ
How do I know if my state allows for a moment of silence?
CLICK HERE for a list of the states that mandate or allow a moment of silence.
How do I know my school observes a moment of silence?
Contact your school secretary and ask if the students are given a moment of silence at the beginning of each day.
What to I do if my state allows or mandates for a moment of silence but my school district doesn’t observe it?
1. Check with your school superintendent’s office to see if there is a school board policy addressing a moment of silence that has been neglected.
2. If your school board has no such policy, meet with the superintendent to express your desire to see a policy implemented. Bring two or three friends with you. You can also meet with school board members individually to express your desire and gain their support.
What do I do if my school district has a policy but it is not being observed at my child's school?
Make a copy of the policy and contact your school principal. Use the “help me understand” approach to address the issue.
If the principal is disinterested or unwilling to implement the policy contact your superintendent. Explain to him that you are interested in seeing the current school district policy implemented in your child's school.
What do I do if my school already observes the moment of silence?
Print out or purchase a set of Gateways School Prayer Cards. Give them to your own children to give to their friends. Ask your school’s Christian Club to distribute them to students. Provide them to parents of public school children in your church.
Addressing the Spiritual Hole in Whole Child Education
The Bible in State Academic Standards
There is a common misconception that teaching about the Bible and Christianity is not allowed in public school classrooms because of concerns over the establishment of religion. As The Bible in State Academic Standards shows, quite to the contrary, state academic standards across the nation provide ample opportunity for educators to teach about the Bible, Christian beliefs, and Christians who were influential in history. For example, California sixth graders are expected to:
“Note the origins of Christianity in the Jewish Messianic prophecies, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament, and the contribution of St. Paul the Apostle to the definition and spread of Christian beliefs (e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection, salvation).” (Standard 6.7.6, adopted in 1998 and reaffirmed in 2005)
We have reviewed every states academic standards. In our Summaries we include:
State academic standards related to the Bible and Christianity
The preambles to state constitutions that reference God because most states have an expectation that students will learn about their constitutions
State laws regarding freedom of religious expression
We will mail you a Summary of your State Academic Standards if you fill out the form below.